haplobiontic, a. Biol.
Brit. /ˌhaplə(ʊ)bʌɪˈɒntɪk/, /ˌhaplə(ʊ)bɪˈɒntɪk/, U.S. /ˈˌhæploʊˌbaɪˈɑn(t)ɪk/, /ˈˌhæploʊˌbiˈɑn(t)ɪk/
[‹ haplo- comb. form + -biont comb. form + -ic suffix, after German haplobiontisch (N. Svedelius 1915, in Nova Acta Regiae Societatis Scientarum Upsaliensis 4 iv. 42). Compare diplobiontic adj.]
Designating a plant or fungus whose life cycle involves only one type of organism (which may be either haploid or diploid), without alternation of distinct free-living generations.
| 1916 Amer. Naturalist 50 511 Svedelius proposes the term haplobiontic for red algae with this type of life history to be contrasted with diplobiontic forms. 1978 H. C. Bold & M. J. Wynne Introd. to Algae 12 This type of life cycle was..said to be haplobiontic, meaning that only a single type of free-living individual is involved in the life cycle. [Note] By free-living is meant not physically attached to another organism of the same species. 1991 Brit. Phycol. Jrnl. 26 303 Sargassum possesses a haplobiontic, diploid type of life history; the dominant morph is the sporophyte and there is no alternation of generations. |