Saprophagy

Saprophages are organisms that obtain nutrients by consuming decomposing dead plant or animal biomass.

[citation needed] Typical saprophagic animals include sedentary polychaetes such as amphitrites (Amphitritinae, worms of the family Terebellidae) and other terebellids.

The eating of wood, whether live or dead, is known as xylophagy.

In food webs, saprophages generally play the roles of decomposers.

There are two main branches of saprophages, broken down by nutrient source.