zoophagy
- Pronunciation
- /zoh-OF-uh-jee/
- Category
- Behavior
- Singular
- zoophagy
- Plural
- zoophagies
Definition
The practice or habit of animals feeding on other animals.
Etymology
From Greek 'zoo-' meaning 'animal' and '-phagy' meaning 'eating'.
Example
The praying mantis exhibits zoophagy by feeding on various insects and even small vertebrates.
Synonyms
- Carnivory
Related Terms
Usage Notes
Zoophagy can describe the feeding habits of both invertebrates and vertebrates and is integral to ecological food webs.