n. the act or practice in which one nonhuman animal (the predator) stalks, captures, and kills another animal (the prey) for food. Prey choice can be broad or highly specific, and some species store captured prey for future use or share it with young or other group members. Prey possess numerous defenses, however, some of which are restricted to a few populations (e.g., physical features such as the quills of porcupine) whereas others are seen in multiple populations (e.g., vigilance, death feigning). Predation is an important mechanism of natural selection, as both predators and prey continuously adapt to more effectively attack and evade one another, respectively. —predatorn.—predatoryadj.