Here's a breakdown:
* Hetero means "other"
* Troph means "nourishment"
So, a heterotroph literally means "other nourishment," indicating that it gets its energy from consuming other organisms.
Here are some examples of heterotrophs:
* Animals: All animals are heterotrophs.
* Fungi: Fungi obtain their nutrients by absorbing them from decaying organic matter.
* Some bacteria: Many bacteria are decomposers, breaking down dead organisms for energy.
* Parasites: Parasites live in or on other organisms and feed off of them.
In contrast, autotrophs are organisms that can produce their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.