What term describes organisms that live on or obtain nutrients from another organism?

What term describes organisms that live on or obtain nutrients from another organism?

• A. Viruses
• B. Bacteria
• C. Internal parasites
• D. External parasites

Answer: (D)

Parasite describes an organism that relies on another living being (the host) for nutrients, often at the host’s expense. When a parasite lives on the surface of the host, it’s called an external parasite. This is the category that fits “live on” the outside of the organism and feed from it, as opposed to internal parasites that live inside the host. Viruses and bacteria can interact with hosts in parasitic ways, but in this context the term that matches the idea of living on the outside and drawing nutrients from the host is external parasites.

Parasite describes an organism that relies on another living being (the host) for nutrients, often at the host’s expense. When a parasite lives on the surface of the host, it’s called an external parasite. This is the category that fits “live on” the outside of the organism and feed from it, as opposed to internal parasites that live inside the host. Viruses and bacteria can interact with hosts in parasitic ways, but in this context the term that matches the idea of living on the outside and drawing nutrients from the host is external parasites.