Which mode of nutrition involves ingesting and devouring solid, particulate food that is then digested inside the body?

Introduction / Context:
Living organisms obtain food in different ways, and these patterns are called modes of nutrition. A key distinction is between organisms that manufacture their own food and those that ingest ready made food. This question focuses on the specific mode of nutrition in which solid food particles are taken into the body, broken down and absorbed, a pattern typical of many animals including humans.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The mode of nutrition must involve ingestion of particulate, solid food. Food is devoured and then digested inside the body. Options list holozoic, holophytic, saprophytic, parasitic and symbiotic nutrition. We assume standard definitions from basic biology.

Concept / Approach:
Holozoic nutrition is the mode of nutrition in which an organism ingests solid or liquid food, digests it internally and absorbs the nutrients. Steps typically include ingestion, digestion, absorption, assimilation and egestion. This is the dominant pattern in animals, from simple protozoans like Amoeba to complex organisms like humans. Holophytic nutrition refers to autotrophic nutrition in green plants that synthesize food by photosynthesis. Saprophytic organisms feed on dead and decaying organic matter by external digestion. Parasitic organisms feed on living hosts, often absorbing pre digested nutrients. Symbiotic nutrition involves mutual dependence between two different organisms. Only holozoic nutrition matches the description of devouring solid food and digesting it inside the body.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the key clues: particulate food is devoured and digestion occurs inside the organism. Step 2: Recall that holozoic nutrition is defined as ingestion of solid food followed by internal digestion and absorption. Step 3: Distinguish this from holophytic nutrition, which describes autotrophic food manufacture rather than ingestion. Step 4: Note that saprophytes secrete enzymes outside their bodies to digest dead material and then absorb the soluble products. Step 5: Recognise that although parasites and symbionts may ingest or absorb food, their definitions stress relationship type, not the basic ingestion of particulate food; the general term for devouring solid food is holozoic nutrition.

Verification / Alternative check:
A simple check is to think of humans or a lion eating food. They bite, chew and swallow solid food, which is digested in the digestive tract. This is the textbook example of holozoic nutrition. A mushroom secreting enzymes into rotting wood illustrates saprophytic nutrition. A tapeworm absorbing nutrients from the intestine of a host shows parasitic nutrition, while a green plant making its own food from carbon dioxide and water under sunlight demonstrates holophytic (autotrophic) nutrition. Comparing these examples confirms that holozoic nutrition fits the description in the question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Holophytic nutrition involves synthesis of organic food by photosynthesis; there is no devouring of particulate food. Saprophytic nutrition depends on external digestion of dead material, not internal digestion of ingested food. Parasitic nutrition describes the host parasite relationship and may involve direct absorption rather than ingestion of solid particles. Symbiotic nutrition refers to mutual benefit in partnerships like lichen (alga plus fungus) and does not specify the ingestion of particulate food as a defining feature. Thus, these modes do not match the question's description as precisely as holozoic nutrition does.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse holozoic with holophytic because the words sound similar, or they associate saprophytic nutrition with any kind of feeding on organic matter. Another pitfall is to focus only on whether the organism is animal or plant without reading the exact description given. To avoid these mistakes, always break down the term: holo means whole or entire, and zoic relates to animals, reinforcing the idea of animal type ingestion of whole food. This association helps you quickly recall that holozoic nutrition is the correct term for devouring solid food and digesting it internally.

Final Answer:
The mode of nutrition in which particulate food is devoured and digested inside the body is called holozoic nutrition.