Heterotrophic nutritionisnutritionobtained by digesting organic compounds. Animals, fungi, many prokaryotes and protoctistsareunable to synthesize organic compounds to use as food. Theyareknown asheterotrophs.Heterotrophicorganisms have to acquire and take in all the organic substances they need to survive.

types-1). Holozoic Nutrition:

This type of nutrition involves consumption of food portion through mouth (opening) .This process is called ingestion. Once consumed, the food particles are broken down into simpler forms and the process is termed as digestion. Finally, the vital nutrients are absorbed by the body and the unwanted and undigested portions are eliminated.

2. Saprophytic NutritionThis kind of nutrition involves processing or decomposing the rotten foliage and dead or decaying organic matter of organisms. Saprophytes have a tendency to gorge on dead products like wood, rotten plants, stored food to name a few. Some organisms that follow saprophytic nutrition are a host of fungi like mushrooms, yeasts and moulds.

3. Parasitic Nutrition:Parasitic nutrition is a mode of heterotrophic nutrition where an organism (known as a parasite) lives on the body surface or inside the body of another type of organism (known as a host).

For instance, a hook-worm lives in the intestine of humans and feeds on it without going through the process of ingestion or egestion. This nutrition is viable for those organisms that do not possess properly developed organs and depend on their host’s body for deriving the nourishment.