Final answer:
The Plasmodium parasite is classified as an obligate parasite and is the causative agent of malaria, particularly the deadly Plasmodium falciparum species.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Plasmodium parasite, which is responsible for malaria, is classified as an obligate parasite. This means it absolutely requires a host to complete its life cycle and cannot survive outside of a host organism.
Specifically, Plasmodium species, such as Plasmodium falciparum, must infect both a mosquito and a vertebrate host to complete their life cycle. In the vertebrate host, the parasite develops in liver cells before infecting red blood cells, destroying them in the process. This leads to severe symptoms such as anemia and cyclic fevers.
Plasmodium falciparum is the most deadly of the malaria-causing species and is transmitted by the female Anopheles gambiae mosquito. Resistance to malaria treatments has developed in some regions, making the management of this disease more challenging.