oophagy
- Pronunciation
- /oh-OFF-uh-jee/
- Category
- Behavior
- Singular
- oophagy
- Plural
- oophagies
Definition
The practice of eating eggs, typically by larvae or nymphs of certain species within their developmental stages.
Etymology
From Greek 'oion', meaning 'egg', and 'phagein', meaning 'to eat'.
Example
Some predatory insect larvae exhibit oophagy by consuming the eggs of other species to gain nutrients necessary for their growth.
Synonyms
- Egg-eating
Related Terms
- Cannibalism
- Larva
- Feeding behavior
Usage Notes
Oophagy can be an adaptive strategy to increase survival rates in environments where food is scarce.