metagenesis
/ˌmɛtəˈdʒɛnɪsɪs/
noun
- The alternation of generations in the life cycle of certain plants and animals, especially between sexual and asexual forms.
- Metagenesis is common in jellyfish, where one generation reproduces sexually and the next asexually.
- Students learned about metagenesis in biology class by studying the life cycle of moss.
- The fern exhibits metagenesis, alternating between a spore-producing plant and a gamete-producing plant.
Synonyms