Question

Distinguish between parasites and saprophytes

Answer 1

Parasites depend on living organisms that is host whereas saprophytes depend on dead and decayed matter for nutrition.

Answer 2

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Firstly, what are parasites?

• Parasites are those organisms that obtain their food by living on another organism i.e the host. They either live on the organism or inside the organism and take their nutrition without killing the host. This mode of nutrition is called Parasitic Nutrition.

• Examples are Plasmodium, tapeworm etc.

And now, what are saprophytes?

• Saprophytes are those organisms which feed upon dead and decaying organic matter by breaking down the complex food particles outside their body and then absorbing it.

• Examples are Fungi like bread moulds, yeast etc.

Now coming to the question, the main difference between them is that saprophytes obtain their nutrition from dead and decaying matter, whereas parasites obtain their nutrition from fresh & living organic matter.

Parasites are eukaryotic organisms that is they have a true nucleus. Mean while saprophytes are both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms.

Parasites have intracellular digestion, saprophytes have extracellular digestion.

Parasites have their nutrition from host which maybe harmful for the host and may also lead to death, but saprophytes have their food from dead organisms itself.

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Thank You! :)