Cancrophagous

/kæŋˈkrɒfəɡəs/ adjective

Definition

Feeding on crabs or having a diet that consists of crabs.

Etymology

From Latin cancer (crab) combined with Greek phagein (to eat). The -phagous suffix appears in words like carnivorous and herbivorous, all following the same pattern of describing what something eats.

Kelly Says

Many specialized diets in nature have fancy scientific names—octopuses and certain fish are cancrophagous, and understanding these feeding relationships helps scientists predict how ocean ecosystems might change.

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