Parasitoid is defined as

Parasitoid is defined as

• A. A predator that chases prey
• B. A disease causing agent
• C. Paralyze the host, then lay eggs on it that feed the larvae
• D. An insect that feeds on plant sap

Answer: (C)

Parasitoids are organisms whose immature stage develops by feeding on a single host, eventually killing it. The defining pattern is that a female lays eggs on or inside a host after immobilizing or paralyzing it; the larvae then feed on the host as they develop, usually leading to the host’s death. This life cycle is what sets parasitoids apart from predators (which eat multiple prey) and from pathogens (which don’t typically use a host larval development inside). The option describing paralyzing the host and laying eggs on it for the larvae to feed on captures this behavior exactly, making it the best choice.

Parasitoids are organisms whose immature stage develops by feeding on a single host, eventually killing it. The defining pattern is that a female lays eggs on or inside a host after immobilizing or paralyzing it; the larvae then feed on the host as they develop, usually leading to the host’s death. This life cycle is what sets parasitoids apart from predators (which eat multiple prey) and from pathogens (which don’t typically use a host larval development inside). The option describing paralyzing the host and laying eggs on it for the larvae to feed on captures this behavior exactly, making it the best choice.