Every non-autotrophic organism which depends on others for their food is called heterotrophs. Heterotrophs include every animal and non-photosynthetic plant which are unable to prepare organic molecules on their own. Heterotrophic nutrition can be classified into three types, based on the ways in which organisms obtain their food:
There are four main types of heterotrophic nutrition:
- Insectivorous - insect eating
- Symbiotic - cooperate with another organism for their mutual benefit
- Parasitic - live on another organism
- Saprophytic - decomposers
