Difference between Saprotrophs and Heterotrophs

Difference between Saprotrophs and Heterotrophs

No.

Saprotrophs

Heterotrophs

1. Organisms which obtain their nutrition from dead and decaying matter are saprotrophic nutrition and organisms which are with saprotrophic nutrition are known as saprotrophs. Organisms which are unable to prepare or make their food and which depends on the other for their nutrition or food is known as heterotrophs.
2. Cellular organisation in digestion of saprotrophs can be eukaryotic or prokaryotic. Cellular organization in digestion of heterotrophs is mostly eukaryotic.
3. Digestion of the saprotrophs is extracellular type of digestion. Digestion of heterotrophs is an intracellular type of digestion.
4. An extracellular type of digestion of saprotrophs usually utilizes organic matter as their source of energy. An intracellular type of digestion of heterotrophs usually utilizes organic carbon as their source of carbon.
5. The habitat of saprotrophs belongs to the dead matter or decaying matter. The habitat of heterotrophs depends on the organisms. Hence, it can be airborne, aquatic, and terrestrial.
6. Example of digestion of saprotrophs includes bacteria and some fungi. Examples of digestion of heterotrophs includes mammals or digestion of higher organisms.
Updated: October 12, 2021 — 1:15 am

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