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Reference Terms
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Herbivore

A herbivore is often defined as any organism that eats only plants. By that definition, many fungi, some bacteria, many animals, about 1% of flowering plants and some protists can be considered herbivores. Many people restrict the term herbivore to animals. Fungi, bacteria and protists that feed on living plants are usually termed plant pathogens. Microbes that feed on dead plants are saprotrophs. Flowering plants that obtain nutrition from other living plants are usually termed parasitic plants. In zoology, an herbivore is an animal that is adapted to eat primarily plant matter (rather than meat). Although such animals are sometimes referred to as being vegetarian, this term is more properly reserved for humans who choose not to eat meat as opposed to animals that are unable to make such choices.

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Plants & Animals News

October 6, 2025

Scientists studying tiny roundworms have uncovered how the secrets of a long life can be passed from parents to their offspring — without changing DNA. The discovery shows that when certain cellular structures called lysosomes change in ways that ...
New research reveals that deep-sea mining could dramatically threaten 30 species of sharks, rays, and ghost sharks whose habitats overlap with proposed mining zones. Many of these species, already at risk of extinction, could face increased dangers ...
HydroSpread, a breakthrough fabrication method, lets scientists build ultrathin soft robots directly on water. These tiny, insect-inspired machines could transform robotics, healthcare, and environmental ...
Billions of years ago, Earth’s atmosphere was hostile, with barely any oxygen and toxic conditions for life. Researchers from the Earth-Life Science Institute studied Japan’s iron-rich hot springs, which mimic the ancient oceans, to uncover how ...
Fungi may have shaped Earth’s landscapes long before plants appeared. By combining rare gene transfers with fossil evidence, researchers have traced fungal origins back nearly a billion years earlier than expected. These ancient fungi may have ...
A team of researchers tested morin, a plant compound, against gum disease bacteria and found strong antimicrobial benefits. By encapsulating it in polymers, they created a powdered form for oral hygiene products. This could replace antibiotics, ...
Scientists have uncovered a dangerous hidden feature in Black Mamba venom that explains why antivenoms sometimes fail. The study revealed that several mamba species launch a dual neurological attack, first causing limp paralysis and then unleashing ...
Scientists have kept a tiny slice of cochlea alive outside the body, directly witnessing how hair cells amplify sound. The finding confirms a universal principle of hearing and could pave the way for long-sought treatments for hearing ...
Researchers have revealed how polymyxins, crucial last-resort antibiotics, break down bacterial armor by forcing cells to overproduce and shed it. Astonishingly, the drugs only kill bacteria when they’re active, leaving dormant cells untouched. ...
Human fertility hinges on a delicate molecular ballet that begins even before birth. UC Davis researchers have uncovered how special protein networks safeguard chromosomes as eggs and sperm form, ...
Shark experts tested four innovative wetsuit materials to measure how well they reduce shark-bite injuries. The results show they can lessen major trauma, blood loss, and even save lives when compared to standard neoprene. While not a perfect ...
New studies show that a bacterial molecule, peptidoglycan, is present in the brain and fluctuates with sleep patterns. This challenges the idea that sleep is solely brain-driven, instead suggesting it’s a collaborative process between our bodies ...

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