The Digestive System of a Small Herbivorous Mammal.

FUNCTIONS OF THE PARTS

Oesophagus:      Passage of chewed food into the stomach

Stomach:             Storage and churning of food

Liver:                     Secretion of Bile

Duodenum:        Digestion of food

Pancreas:            Secretion of pancreatic juice containing pancreatic enzymes

Ileum:                   Digestion and absorption of food

Caecum:              Digestion of Cellulose

Colon:                   Absorption of Water

Rectum:               Temporary storage of faeces

Anus:                    Ejection of faeces / undigested food

Special Features

Ileum:

• The length of the ileum is about 7 to 8 feet

Adaptation of the ileum

• Large for digestion and absorption
• Lined with villi to provide a large surface area for absorption of digested food
• The wall produces succus entericus, which contains enzymes

Caecum:

• Large
• Presence of appendix

Adaptation of the caecum

• Large to ensure cellulose digestion
• Contains bacteria for cellulose digestion

Colon

• Lined with mucous-secreting cells, which lubricate the canal for easy passage of faeces.

Rectum

• Presence of pellet-like faeces

Review Questions.

Study carefully the diagram below and use it to answer the questions that follow.

1. Identify the specimen in the diagram above
2. Give one reason for your answer above
3. Name four organisms from which the specimen can be obtained
4. Provide the correct terms to the parts labelled from “a” to “m”
5. Give one function of each part labelled
6. Name the feeding habit of the organism from which the specimen is obtained, giving one reason for your answer

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