1. Parasites that feed on or infect other parasites; organisms that are parasitic on parasites.
Usage: plural form; biology/ecology term; also called secondary parasites

Examples

• Hyperparasites play an important role in controlling pest populations by targeting the parasites that feed on crops.
• The wasp species acts as a hyperparasite, laying its eggs inside the bodies of parasitic flies.
• Ecologists study hyperparasites to understand complex food webs and predator-prey relationships.
• Some fungi are hyperparasites that infect the pathogenic fungi attacking plants.
• The discovery of hyperparasites in the ecosystem helped explain the natural regulation of insect populations.