What is the Difference Between Predator and Parasite?

The main difference between predators and parasites lies in their mode of interaction with their prey or host organisms:

Predators:

• Predators are active organisms that capture and consume other organisms, called prey, for food.
• They typically use intense physical effort to catch their prey.
• Predators are usually larger and stronger than their prey.
• There is no metabolic dependency between the predator and the prey.
• Predators can be found in various ecosystems, and their presence helps maintain the balance of the food web.

Parasites:

• Parasites live at the expense of another organism, called the host, without killing it.
• They are generally passive in their progression and rely on the host for nutrients, resulting in a decrease in the host's fitness.
• Parasites are usually smaller than their host organism.
• There is an intimate association between the parasite and the host, involving metabolic dependency.
• Parasites can cause diseases in the host organism, making them pathogens in some cases.

Parasitoids, a third group, share characteristics of both predators and parasites. They feed on living tissue, like parasites, but they generally kill their host organism in the process.

Comparative Table: Predator vs Parasite

Here is a table highlighting the differences between predators and parasites:

Examples of predators include hawks, rabbits, and tigers. Examples of parasites include protozoan parasites, helminthic parasites, ticks, and lice.