21. The male and female gametocytes fuse and form an ookinete a fertilized, motile zygote. 22. Gametocytes in chronic infection are slightly smaller and are not sexually dimorphic in their dimensions.23. The mature gametocytes occasionally enlarge the erythrocyte. 24. The large gametocytes tend to grossly distort the infected cells and make cell identification difficult. 25. Gametocytes are " kidney-shaped " and are smaller than the host cell nucleus.26. Within the erythrocytes the merozoites first become ring forms, then trophozoites and finally gametocytes . 27. Within the lumen, the gametocytes associate in pairs, fuse and form a zygote. 28. Pairs of gamonts associate as two hemispherical gametocytes with the conoidal complexes of each juxtaposed. 29. The male and female gametocytes fuse and form a ookinete a fertilized, motile zygote. 30. Other merozoites develop into immature gametocytes , which are the precursors of male and female gametes.
