Diplontic

Definition

Diplontic refers to a life cycle in which the diploid stage is the dominant, multicellular phase. Organisms with a diplontic lifecycle produce gametes through meiosis, which are the only haploid cells.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Diplontic life cycles are common in animals and some algae.
2. During the diplontic life cycle, mitosis occurs in the diploid phase.
3. In diplontic organisms, the zygote grows into a multicellular diploid organism.
4. Gametes produced by diplontic organisms are typically haploid and fuse to form a diploid zygote.
5. The main difference between diplontic and haplodiplontic cycles is that diplontic cycles lack a multicellular haploid phase.

Review Questions

• What is the dominant stage in a diplontic life cycle?
• How do gametes form in organisms with a diplontic lifecycle?
• What type of cell division results in gamete formation in diplontic organisms?

Related terms

Haplodiplontic: A life cycle involving both multicellular haploid and diploid stages.

Diploid: A cell or organism having two sets of chromosomes, one from each parent.

Meiosis: A type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, resulting in four haploid cells.