Examples of detrivore - Environment & Biodiversity
Q. Which of the following is/are detrivore/detrivores?
1) Ants
2) Bacteria
3) Fungi
4) Earthworms
5) Crabs- Published on 28 Aug 15a. 1, 2, 3 and 4
b. 2 and 3
c. 1, 4 and 5
d. All of the above
ANSWER: 1, 4 and 5
Detrivores are consumers that feed on fallen leaves, parts of dead trees and faecal wastes of animals. E.g. ants, termites, earthworms, crab, etc. While the terms decomposer and detritivore are often interchangeably used, however, detritivores must digest dead matter via internal processes while decomposers can break down cells of other organisms using biochemical reactions without need for internal digestion. Thus, invertebrates such as earthworms, woodlice, and sea cucumbers are detritivores, not decomposers, in the technical sense, since they must ingest nutrients and are unable to absorb them externally. Other decomposers, such as many species of bacteria, fungi and protists, are unable to ingest discrete lumps of matter, but instead live by absorbing and metabolizing on a molecular scale (saprotrophic nutrition). Scavengers are typically not thought to be detritivores, as they generally eat large quantities of organic matter. Detrivores eat smaller quantities and decomposers feed at microscopic level.
