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| *Etymology: [[ultimate]]ly from [[Latin]] carnivorus | | *Etymology: [[ultimate]]ly from [[Latin]] carnivorus |
− | *Date: [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_Century 1840] | + | *Date: [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_Century 1840] |
| ==Definitions== | | ==Definitions== |
| *1 : any of an order (Carnivora) of typically [[flesh]]-eating mammals that includes dogs, foxes, bears, raccoons, and cats; broadly : a carnivorous animal | | *1 : any of an order (Carnivora) of typically [[flesh]]-eating mammals that includes dogs, foxes, bears, raccoons, and cats; broadly : a carnivorous animal |
− | *2 : a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivorous_plants carnivorous plant] | + | *2 : a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivorous_plants carnivorous plant] |
| ==Description== | | ==Description== |
− | A '''carnivore''' (pronounced /ˈkɑrnɪvɔər/), [[meaning]] 'meat eater' (Latin carne meaning 'flesh' and vorare meaning 'to devour'), is an [[organism]] that derives its [[energy]] and [[nutrient]] requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of [[animal]] tissue, whether through predation or scavenging. [[Animals]] that depend solely on animal flesh for their nutrient requirements are considered [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/obligate obligate carnivores] while those that also consume non-animal food are considered [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/facultative facultative carnivores]. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omnivore Omnivores] also consume both [[animal]] and non-animal [[food]], and apart from the more general definition, there is no clearly defined [[ratio]] of plant to animal [[material]] that would distinguish a facultative carnivore from an omnivore, or an omnivore from a facultative herbivore, for that matter. A carnivore that sits at the top of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foodchain foodchain] is an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apex_predator apex predator]. | + | A '''carnivore''' (pronounced /ˈkɑrnɪvɔər/), [[meaning]] 'meat eater' (Latin carne meaning 'flesh' and vorare meaning 'to devour'), is an [[organism]] that derives its [[energy]] and [[nutrient]] requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of [[animal]] tissue, whether through predation or scavenging. [[Animals]] that depend solely on animal flesh for their nutrient requirements are considered [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/obligate obligate carnivores] while those that also consume non-animal food are considered [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/facultative facultative carnivores]. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omnivore Omnivores] also consume both [[animal]] and non-animal [[food]], and apart from the more general definition, there is no clearly defined [[ratio]] of plant to animal [[material]] that would distinguish a facultative carnivore from an omnivore, or an omnivore from a facultative herbivore, for that matter. A carnivore that sits at the top of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foodchain foodchain] is an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apex_predator apex predator]. |
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− | Plants that capture and digest insects are called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivorous_plants carnivorous plants]. Similarly [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungi fungi] that capture microscopic animals are often called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivorous_fungi carnivorous fungi]. | + | Plants that capture and digest insects are called [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivorous_plants carnivorous plants]. Similarly [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungi fungi] that capture microscopic animals are often called [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivorous_fungi carnivorous fungi]. |
| ==See also== | | ==See also== |
| *'''''[[Predator]]''''' | | *'''''[[Predator]]''''' |
| [[Category: Biology]] | | [[Category: Biology]] |