>Sure you can.  Easy.  Just hide under a rock near a sunny stream and
>eat energy-rich inorganic molecules that flow in.
>--
>Cathy

And build on this for a billion years?   And this during the time of the
bombardment, active volcanoes, and moon closer with tremendous tides?
And the food source never stops coming in - not for one day?
And you are denied all the benefits of UV (which I suggest set up the genetic
code because of its effects on pyrimidines and not on purines etc.)

Why make your scenario so difficult ? 
It is highly unlikely that this could  happen
at or near the origin.

It is highly probable that this was a much later evolved version.

You are suggesting that carnivores came before photosynthesis.
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