What does scatophagous mean?
Scatophagous means feeding on dung or feces. It is chiefly a scientific adjective used in biology, zoology, and entomology to describe animals whose diet includes the excrement of other animals. Dung beetles are the best-known examples, although the term can apply to certain fly larvae, worms, and other organisms that consume feces. By feeding and burrowing in dung, these animals help break down waste, disperse seeds, and return nutrients to the soil. The word combines the Greek skatos, meaning dung, with -phagous, a combining form derived from phagein, meaning to eat. Scatophagous is closely related in meaning to coprophagous, but it emphasizes the specific material being consumed. It is not normally used in everyday speech except when discussing animal behavior or feeding strategies.
adjectiveFeeding on dung or feces. The term is used chiefly in biology to describe organisms whose diet consists of animal excrement.
- Feeding on dung or feces.
"Some dung beetles are scatophagous, consuming feces and helping to recycle nutrients."
"Dung beetles are among the most familiar scatophagous animals."
"Researchers identified several scatophagous species living in the abandoned mine."
Some animals specialize in waste recycling: they are scatophagous, meaning they treat dung as a meal rather than avoiding it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does scatophagous come from?
Scatophagous was formed within English from the combining form scato-, derived from Greek skatos, meaning dung or excrement, and -phagous, derived from Greek phagein, meaning to eat. The suffix -phagous also appears in related words such as coprophagous, necrophagous, and saprophagous. The combined form follows the established Greek pattern in which a word for the substance being eaten precedes the element meaning eating.
Related word forms
How scatophagous is actually used
This is a technical term used primarily in zoology, ecology, and entomology. In general use, coprophagous is more familiar.