noun
- Plural of metagenesis; the occurrence of alternation of generations in organisms, where sexual and asexual reproductive forms alternate in a life cycle.
Usage: biology; technical
Examples
- The metageneses observed in certain jellyfish involve both polyp and medusa stages.
- Biologists study metageneses to understand complex life cycles in marine organisms.
- Some parasitic worms exhibit metageneses with multiple distinct reproductive phases.
- The concept of metageneses is fundamental to understanding the development of hydrozoans.