An organism that feeds on primary consumers, typically carnivores or omnivores that occupy the third trophic level in food chains. They obtain energy by consuming herbivores and help transfer energy up the food web.
From Latin 'secundarius' (second in order) and 'consumer' from Latin 'consumere' (to use up). The classification system developed as ecologists studied energy flow through ecosystems.
Secondary consumers often have to be incredibly efficient hunters because they're competing for a much smaller energy pool than primary consumers! The 10% rule means there's far less energy available at their level, making every successful hunt crucial for survival.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.