Before entering to determine the meaning of the term “predator”, it is necessary to proceed to make clear what its etymological origin is. In this sense, we would have to say that it emanates from Latin, more precisely from the word “depraedator”, which can be translated as “plunderer” and that is made up of the following parts:
- The prefix “de-“, which indicates direction from top to bottom.
- The noun “praeda”, which can be translated as “prey”.
- The suffix “-tor”, which is equivalent to “agent”.
A predator is an animal that hunts for its subsistence.
Predator concept
Predator is the adjective that refers to who preys. The verb to predate, on the other hand, is linked to stealing and looting with violence or, in the case of animals, to the action of hunting specimens of another species for subsistence.
For example: “For zebras, the lion is a fearsome predator that can end their lives in a few seconds”, “The prosecutor assured that the defendant acted as a predator: he entered the house, killed the inhabitants and took all the valuables while destroying what did not interest her”, “The teacher asked us to prepare a picture with the main predators of the African savannah and their prey”.
Predator and prey are related through biological interaction.
Type of biological interaction
For ecology, predation is a biological interaction in which the predator or predator hunts a prey to survive. An animal can be a predator of several different species and, in turn, be prey to others.
It should be noted that predation contributes to the balance of the ecosystem, since it allows the number of individuals of the species to be controlled. The reproduction of a species without control in the absence of a predator can alter the balance of the ecosystem in question.
Predator, a science fiction character
Predator or Predator is the name of a creature invented for the science fiction genre in the field of cinema. It is identified because its objective is to get people as if they were trophies and it first appeared on the big screen in 1987.
Jim and John Thomas were the creators of this being, which not only possesses energy weapons but also a great ability to camouflage, which is what allows it to get all the prey it wants. There are many in the movies that this type of creature has appeared, an example of this being “Alien vs. Predator” and even in the short “Batman Dead End”.
Title of a movie
Predator, on the other hand, is the movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger that was released in 1987 and had several sequels. As we already indicated, the predators, in the film, are extraterrestrial beings that hunt human beings and other species. The story tells that this alien race has been in contact with human beings for 14,000 years, when it arrived in Antarctica.
It should not be overlooked either that this type of fantastic creature has also made different forays into the world of comics. Thus, the specialized publisher Dark Horse has not hesitated to confront such well-known characters as Superman, Batman, Terminator or even Tarzan, without forgetting either Wonder Woman, the Green Lantern or Aquaman.
