<P> Parasitic nutrition is a mode of heterotrophic nutrition where a parasitic organism lives on the body surface or inside the body of another type of organism (a host) and gets nutrition directly from the body of the host . Since these parasites derive nourishment from their host, this symbiotic interaction is often harmful to the host . Parasites depend on their host for survival, since the host provides nutrition and protection . As a result of this dependence, parasites have considerable modifications to optimise parasitic nutrition and therefore their survival . </P> <P> Parasites are divided into two groups: endoparasites and ectoparasites . Endoparasites are parasites that live inside the body of the host, whereas ectoparasites are parasites that live on the outer surface of the host and generally attach themselves during feeding . Due to the different strategies of endoparasites and ectoparasites, they require different adaptations to derive nutrients from their host . </P>

An organism that takes nourishment and nutrition from a host