AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Millipede Detritivore. While decomposers break down dead, organic materials, detritivores-like millipedes, earthworms, and termites-eat dead organisms and wastes.

Detailed explanation-2: -These are heterotrophic organisms that obtain their food from dead and decaying plants and animals. Detritivores are known as decomposers. They are not secondary consumers. Examples-terrestrial worms, crabs, sea stars, sea cucumbers, etc.

Detailed explanation-3: -Detritivores also known as detritophages are heterotrophs that obtain nutrients by directly consuming the dead organic parts of plants and animals. Example earthworm, termites etc.

Detailed explanation-4: -Therefore, detritivores are a type of decomposer. Detritivores are different from other decomposers in that they consume material to break it down. Decomposers like bacteria and fungi don’t eat their food, they decompose it externally.

Detailed explanation-5: -detritivore (detritus feeder) Heterotroph that feeds on dead material (detritus). The detritus most typically is of plant origin, but may include the dead remains of small animals.