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Parasite

By Laura Klappenbach, About.com

Definition: An animal that lives on or within another animal (referred to as the host animal). A parasite either feeds on its host directly or on the food that the host ingests. In general, parasites tend to be much smaller than their host organisms. Parasites benefit from the relationship with a host while the host is weakened (but usually not killed) by the parasite.

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