1. feeding on only one kind of food or host
Usage: biology; zoology

Examples

• The koala is a monophagous animal that feeds exclusively on eucalyptus leaves.
• Many butterfly caterpillars are monophagous, eating only one species of plant.
• Monophagous insects are particularly vulnerable to habitat loss.
• The panda’s monophagous diet consists almost entirely of bamboo.
• Scientists study monophagous species to understand specialized feeding relationships.
• Some parasites are monophagous, attacking only one type of host organism.