Which of the following are detritivores? 1. Earthworms 2. Jellyfish 3. Millipedes 4. Seahorses 5. Woodlice Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- A.1, 2 and 4 only
- B.2, 3, 4 and 5 only
- C.1, 3 and 5 only
- D.1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is C, 1, 3 and 5 only. Earthworms, millipedes and woodlice feed on dead plant and animal matter, called detritus, so they are detritivores. Detritivores break dead leaves and bodies into small pieces, which speeds up the work of decomposers such as bacteria and fungi that finish the breakdown and return nutrients to the soil. Earthworms eat decaying leaves and soil, millipedes chew leaf litter on the forest floor, and woodlice are small land crustaceans that live under logs and eat rotting wood. The key difference is that detritivores swallow detritus, while decomposers digest it outside their bodies. Jellyfish (2) are wrong because they are carnivores that sting and eat plankton and small fish. Seahorses (4) are wrong because they suck in tiny live crustaceans. So options A, B and D, which include jellyfish or seahorses, are wrong. Exam tip: earthworms, millipedes, woodlice and dung beetles are detritivores; bacteria and fungi are decomposers.
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