Question

The length of the alimentary canal is more in herbivorous animals than the carnivorous because

• A. Herbivorous diet contains more fat to digest.
• B. Herbivorous diet contains more vitamins to digest.
• C. Herbivorous diet contains more protein to digest.
• D. Herbivorous diet contains more carbohydrates particularly cellulose, which takes more time to digest.

Answer 1

Answer: (D)

Herbivores are plant eaters and plant matter is difficult to digest as it contains cellulose. Mammals cannot digest cellulose on their own and thus they have to rely on bacteria in their gut for cellulose digestion. Herbivores also have to thoroughly chew their food and churned up so that it makes it easier to break down cell wall. Thus, herbivores need longer alimentary canal as the digestion process is slower and they get fewer nutrients as compare to meat. On the other hand, carnivores are meat eaters. Meat can be easily broken down into amino acids and can be readily absorbed through the gut wall into the blood. Thus, the carnivores require short alimentary canal as the process of digestion and absorption takes place fairly rapidly and the long alimentary canal would be waste.

Thus, the correct answer is option C.