The Life Cycle of Aurelia |
MetagenesisMetagenesis, sometimes incorrectly called alternation of generations, is the life history pattern exhibited by most cnidarians other than anthozoans. The life begins when the larva, a ciliated planula, attaches to a substrate and metamorphoses to a scyphistoma (a polyp) which grows and begins to reproduce by an asexual process of bryophytes (also called strobilization). The buds mature to form platelike structures which eventually detach as individual swimming medusae called ephyrae. Each matures to the adult, which contains gonads and reproduces sexually, producing larvae to complete the cycle. Note that in metagenesis, there are two body forms which are both diploid, unlike alternation of generations.
This page was last updated on January 10, 1999.
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