Related Words

Detritus: Particulate material that enters into a marine or aquatic system. If derived from decaying organic matter it is organic detritus.

Generalist: A species that can live in many different habitats and can feed on a number of different organisms. For example, shore crabs on the Pacific coast live in a wide variety of habitats, such as . . . View Full Definition

Detrivore: An organism that feeds on large bits of dead and decaying organic matter. What detrivores leave behind is used by decomposers. Crabs and seabirds are examples of detrivores. Compare decompos . . . View Full Definition

Trilobites: A group of benthonic, detritus-feeding, extinct marine invertebrate animals (phylum Arthropoda), having skeletons of an organic compound called chitin. Trilobites appear in abundance early i . . . View Full Definition