Endoparasites (from endo-, Greek parasitos = parasite), also called internal parasites, are organisms that live inside other organisms, in extreme cases inside cells, for an extended period or throughout their life cycle and obtain food parasitically. In animal endoparasites, distinctions include blood parasites and intestinal parasites. In the latter, mouthparts and the digestive tract are often greatly reduced, and food is absorbed through the entire body surface. Examples include the protozoan Trypanosoma, tapeworms, the snail Entoconcha and the botfly Gasterophilus (Gasterophilidae). Various bacteria and fungi are also endoparasitic. Higher plants such as members of Rafflesiaceae (Cytinus, Rafflesia) may also be described as endoparasites: like fungi, they penetrate the tissues of their host plants and emerge only for flowering.

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