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> steal energy molecules called ATP from their hosts

Not unlike a virus which also lacks their own metabolism.

This will raise similar question as whether it is "alive".




I doubt it. It's a multi-cellular organism that is capable of moving on its own. I don't think anyone will claim that it is not alive because it can't produce its own ATP.


A virus also lacks the ability to even duplicate its own genetic material without the help of a host cell. The set of features a virus lacks is much larger.

On the other hand, all animals depend on another form of life to provide energetic molecules. As this organism (presumably) depends on ATP from another source, we depend on energy providing molecules like carbs, fat, protein.




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