bipartite life cycle

A bipartite life cycle in biology describes organisms that exist in two distinct forms during their lives. For example, the velella begins as a free-floating, sail-like creature and later transforms into a jellyfish. This contrasts with simpler life cycles, like those of bacteria, which are completed within a single generation through fission. In more complex organisms like animals, the life cycle involves the fusion of sex cells (gametes) to grow and mature, eventually producing new gametes. Plants, however, often have multigenerational life cycles involving alternation between spore-producing and gamete-producing stages.12