7 - Animal Digestion (Mammalian Herbivores and Carnivores) Flashcards
What plant materials do herbivores consume
Leaves, seeds, fruits, and nectar
Why are leaves a challenging food source
They’re low in nutritional value, rich in cellulose, and often tough/abrasive (e.g. grass contains phytoliths that wear down teeth)
How do herbivores compensate for low-quality plant food
They spend a lot of time feeding or processing food to extract enough nutrients
What are lophed teeth and how do they help in herbivory
Teeth with ridged surfaces where enamel wears off to expose dentin, forming sharp enamel blades for shearing plant material during mastication
How are herbivore teeth adapted for durability
Only one set of replacement teeth
Adaptations include very deep crowns extending into the jawbone
Some have teeth fully covered in cementum for extra durability
What happens when herbivores’ teeth wear out in the wild
They can no longer feed efficiently, usually they die from natural causes before this happens
Why can’t animals digest cellulose on their own
Animals lack the enzyme cellulase and rely on symbiotic microorganisms in the gut to break down cellulose
What is hindgut fermentation and who uses it
Cellulose is digested in the enlarged cecum/large intestine.
Examples: horses, elephants, rabbits. Some energy is lost in faeces
What is coprophagy and which animals practise it
Eating faeces to re-digest and extract more nutrients
Practised by rabbits
What is foregut fermentation and how does it differ from hindgut fermentation
Cellulose is digested in a multi-chambered stomach before reaching the intestine (more efficient but slower).
Found in ruminants like cows and kangaroos
What are sit-and-wait predators and give an example
Predators that remain still and ambush prey.
Example: pumas – solitary and territorial
What are search-and-chase predators and an example
Actively hunt using endurance and coordination. Example: wolves – often hunt in packs
What are scavengers and how do they feed
Feed on dead animals, sometimes opportunistically or as pack hunters
Example: hyenas
What strategies do insectivores use
Use specialised methods such as echolocation (bats) or elongated sticky tongues (anteaters)
What are carnassial teeth and their function?
Specialised shearing teeth found in Carnivora, used for slicing flesh
What is the role of the temporalis muscle in carnivores
It powers the jaw to produce strong biting forces
How are insectivores like moles adapted for feeding
They have pointed cusps on teeth for piercing insect exoskeletons
What feeding adaptations do anteaters have
Elongated jaws, reduced or absent teeth, and long sticky tongues to capture ants/termites
How are scavengers like hyenas dentally adapted
They have powerful crushing teeth capable of breaking bones
