saprobiont

Saprobionts are organisms that digest their food externally and then absorb the products. This process is called saprotrophic nutrition. Fungi are examples of saprobiontic organisms, which are a type of decomposer.

Saprobiontic organisms feed off dead and/or decaying biological materials. Digestion is accomplished by excretion of digestive enzymes which break down cell tissues, allowing saprobionts to extract the nutrients they need while leaving the indigestible waste. This is called extracellular digestion. This is very important in ecosystems, for the nutrient cycle.