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Types of Organisms That Are Heterotrophs

Heterotrophs are organisms that feed on other organisms and cannot acquire their sustenance independently. In contrast, autotrophs are primary producers, which means they can obtain energy directly from inorganic sources, such as in the case of plants, who photosynthesize to convert solar energy into usable energy for growth and reproduction.

Animals
- Humans, along with all other mammals are classified as heterotrophs. In order for humans to survive, they must obtain energy, and in order to obtain energy humans must feed. To do this, humans consume other organisms. While humans tend to separate eating plants, as herbivores, and eating meat as a carnivore, both processes are examples of heterotrophy. Both herbivorous mammals, such as cows, and carnivores, such as tigers, are equally heterotrophic and cannot obtain their vital energy by photosynthesizing or eating iron as some bacteria do. Birds, fish, insects, and shell fish are also heterotrophs.
Fungi
- Although fungi may appear plantlike to many, they are in fact a completely separate kingdom. In fact, fungi heterotrophs play a very important role in the global ecosystem. They are responsible for consuming and breaking down much of the world's dead organic matter; thus, liberating the energy stored within it back into the nutrient cycle. In addition, mycorrhizae species of fungi form symbiotic relationships with plants and constitute a particularly important population within the forest ecosystem.
Bacteria
- Many, but by no means all, bacteria are heterotrophs. Bacteria also play a central role in the decomposition cycle. Saprobic bacteria can be found in decaying material, while others are involved in fermentation and respiration. Some forms of hetertrophic bacteria can be extremely dangerous, this includes Necrotizing fasciitis, which is a type of bacterial infection that releases destructive toxins causing inflammation, blistering and extensive swelling, gaining the bacteria its "flesh-eating bacteria" moniker.
Plants
- All plants are autotrophs. They derive the majority of their energy from the sun. While there are some species that are parasitic to other plants, leaching nourishment from their victims, these species are still capable of photosynthesis. Even the famed Venus' flytrap, which traps flies to feed on them, can be described as both autotrophic and heterotrophic. Carnivorous plants have been shown to grow without consuming any organisms and to still grow healthily by photosynthesizing sunlight.

Animals & Science