Alternation of Generations
Alternation of generations describes a life cycle pattern in which different reproductive forms occur in successive generations—typically one sexual and one asexual.
This is common in parasites where asexual multiplication increases numbers rapidly in one host, followed by sexual reproduction in another. Many trematodes show asexual amplification in the snail host and sexual reproduction in the definitive vertebrate host.
Why it matters: Alternation of generations can dramatically increase transmission potential by producing large numbers of infective stages before the parasite reaches its final host.
