English

Noun

saprophagan ‎(plural saprophagans)

1. (zoology) One of a tribe of beetles that feed upon decaying animal and vegetable substances; a carrion beetle.
   • 1981, American Geographical Society of New York, Soviet geography: Volume 22

     Natural and sown haylands also differ in the trophic structure of the animal population, with phytophagans and saprophagans about evenly divided in sown legumes and saprophagans dominating in natural grass.