A detritivore feeds on plant and animal remains and other dead matter collectively called detritus. They recycle decomposing material and return it to the food chain.
Detritivorous animals include:
Diplura, millipedes
Isopoda, woodlice
Collembola, springtails
Mollusca, slugs and snails
Larger specialists are:
Scarabaeidae, dung beetles
Scathophagidae, dung flies
Silphidae, burying beetles
Detrivores also include earthworms, bee-maggots, crabs and vultures.
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Examples of detritivores include earthworms, maggots, dung beetles, and certain species of fungi and bacteria. These organisms feed on dead and decaying organic matter, breaking it down into simpler substances and recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
Deep sea detritivores are organisms that feed on organic matter that falls to the ocean floor, such as dead animals, fecal matter, and decaying plant material. These creatures play a vital role in breaking down and recycling nutrients in deep-sea ecosystems. Examples include deep-sea worms, crustaceans, and bacteria.
Detritivores decompose organic materials in an ecosystem and return the nutrients to the soil, air, and water.
Some detritivores in the woodland include earthworms, millipedes, and woodlice. These organisms feed on decaying plant and animal matter, helping to break it down and recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem.
Some scavengers that are also detritivores include crows, vultures, and dung beetles. These animals feed on dead organic matter, such as carrion or decaying vegetation, contributing to the decomposition process in an ecosystem.
Aphids are considered herbivores, as they feed on plant sap. They are not omnivores (eating both plants and animals) or detritivores (feeding on decaying matter).