Heterotrophs are characterized by their inability to:

Heterotrophs are organisms that cannot produce their own food through processes like photosynthesis; instead, they obtain their nutrition by consuming other organisms, which can be plants, animals, or organic matter. This characteristic distinguishes them from autotrophs, which can synthesize their own food from inorganic substances.

In terms of their metabolic processes, heterotrophs rely on pre-existing organic compounds for energy and growth. This dependence on other life forms for food is a critical feature of heterotrophic organisms, whether they be herbivores, carnivores, or decomposers.

The ability to reproduce sexually and the capability to photosynthesize do not define whether an organism is a heterotroph or not. Many heterotrophs can reproduce sexually, and some organisms capable of photosynthesis, like certain bacteria and plants, are autotrophs and not heterotrophs, highlighting the distinct definitions of these terms in biology.