Question

what is a heteroxenous parasite? trypanosoma spp is an example but why how is it an example and why?

Answer 1

A parasite that has more than one obligatory host in its life cycle is called a heteroxenous parasite.it especially requiring at least two kinds of host to complete the life cycle —used of various parasites (as the malaria parasites or the liver flukes).

Trypanosoma is a genus of kinetoplastids (class Trypanosomatidae), a monophyletic group of unicellular parasitic flagellate protozoa. Trypanosoma is part of the phylum Sarcomastigophora.The name is derived from the Greek trypano- (borer) and soma (body) because of their corkscrew-like motion. Most trypanosomes are heteroxenous (requiring more than one obligatory host to complete life cycle) and most are transmitted via a vector.