xylophagic

Xylophagic is an adjective describing organisms that feed on wood or wood-derived materials. The term derives from Greek xylon or xylos meaning "wood" and phagein meaning "to eat," and it is used in fields such as entomology, mycology, and ecology to classify feeding habits.

In practice, xylophagy is most commonly observed in wood-feeding insects—particularly termites, which are now classified within the order Blattodea—and wood-boring beetles of families such as Cerambycidae and Buprestidae. Some other invertebrates and, more rarely, certain mollusks or crustaceans have adapted to consume woody substrates. In fungi, xylophagous species colonize and decompose dead wood, playing a key role in lignocellulose breakdown; notable examples include white-rot and brown-rot fungi capable of degrading cellulose and lignin.

Xylophagy contributes to nutrient cycling by aiding the decomposition of wood, but it can also cause economic harm by damaging timber, structures, and stored wood products. Xylophagous organisms often interact with wood-decay communities and with symbiotic microorganisms that assist in digesting cellulose.

See also: wood-destroying species, wood decay, lignocellulose degradation.