Final answer:
The genus that includes the causative agent for malaria is Plasmodium. This genus is responsible for malaria, which is transmitted through the bite of the infected Anopheles gambiae mosquito and undergoes its life cycle through a vertebrate host and the mosquito.
Step-by-step explanation:
The genus that includes the causative agent for malaria is Plasmodium. Malaria is caused by several species within this genus. The Plasmodium protozoa are spread by an infected mosquito vector, specifically the Anopheles gambiae. These parasites complete their life cycle by infecting both a mosquito and a vertebrate host. In the human host, Plasmodium species develop in liver cells and then infect red blood cells. The four Plasmodium species known to infect humans are P. falciparum, P. ovale, P. malariae, and P. vivax. Of these, P. falciparum is the most deadly and is responsible for the majority of malaria cases globally.