Dental Formula, Adaptation of Mammalian Teeth for Feeding and Dental Care

DENTAL FORMULA

[Photo credit: Dozenist]

Dental formula can be defined as the number and types of teeth an animal has in one half of each jaw. Different mammals have different dental formulae depending on their diet. In the following formulae:

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Feeding, Digestion and Dentition in Mammals

The solid food most animals eat is usually large, and must first be broken down into small molecules in the alimentary canal before it can be absorbed in the blood stream. This is usually done mechanically and chemically in mammals. 

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Feeding Mechanism and Modifications in Some Animals

There are five modifications and mechanisms of feeding associated with some organisms. These feeding mechanisms include:

1. Biting and chewing mechanism e.g. grasshopper or cockroach: The grasshopper or cockroach has mouth parts adapted for biting and chewing. 

[Photo credit: Fir0002. License: GFDL. Released under GFDL v1.2]

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Digestive System of Rabbit and Other Herbivores

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM OF RABBIT


[Photo credit: Larry D. Moore. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0]

The teeth of herbivores are adapted for cropping grass and grinding plant matter to break down the cellulose cell walls. The incisors of a rabbit are long and chisel-shaped. They bite against each other to chop off pieces of grass.

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Digestive System or Alimentary Canal of Man

The alimentary canal is a long tube stretching from the mouth to the anus. The digestive system or alimentary canal of man includes: the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, duodenum, small intestine or ileum, caecum, appendix, large intestine or colon, rectum and anus. 

[Photo credit: Bruce Blaus]

The description and importance of the parts are as follows:

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Digestive System of Planaria, Tapeworm, Amoeba, Earthworm, Insects and Bird

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM OF PLANARIA

[Photo credit: PlanMine]

The planaria is a free-living flatworm that feeds on aquatic animals called zooplanktons. It has a simple alimentary canal with one opening - the mouth. The mouth opens into a short buccal cavity which leads into the pharynx.

The pumping action of the pharynx sucks in pieces of food which enter the pharynx and pass into the small intestine. The small intestine has three branches - one leading to the head and the other two towards the tail. The branches give off numerous side branches.

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Digestion, Digestive System and Feeding Mechanism

Digestive System includes the alimentary tract or canal and all the organs and glands associated with the digestion and assimilation of food in animals.The digestive system varies from one animal to another, Organisms from simple to complex ones have different types of digestive systems or alimentary tract.


Animals have different types of alimentary tracts which vary in size, complexity, mode of feeding or type of diet. However, there is no definite alimentary canal in plants.

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Excretory System of Plants

Plants have no special excretory organs because their metabolic waste products are minimal. Plants manufacture their own food, i.e they are autotraphic. The waste materials are disposed off through various parts of the plant. 

[Photo credit: Estreya]

Plant wastes products include water, carbon dioxide oxygen, acids, resins, mucilage, latex, alkaloids, crystals of salts, oils, gum and anthocyanin.

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EXCRETORY SYSTEM OF MAMMALS: Structure and Mechanism of Excretion of the Kidney and Urinary Tubule

EXCRETION IN MAMMALS

[Photo credit: Jordi March i Nogué]

In mammals, there are four excretory organs:

• lungs, which excrete water vapor and carbon dioxide;
• skin, which excretes water, salts and urea through sweat;
• liver, which excretes bile pigments called bilirubin; and
• kidneys, which excrete water, mineral salts, urea, uric acid, and creaunine.

EXCRETORY SYSTEM OF MAMMALS

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Excretory System and Mechanism of Excretion in Earthworm, Flatworm, Insects and Amoeba

EXCRETORY SYSTEM OF EARTHWORM

[Photo credit: KDS444. Earthworm_head.svg from wikipedia commons. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0]

An earthworm has a segmented body. Each segment of the body except the first three and the last segment has a pair of tubes called nephridia. The nephridia are the excretory organs of the earthworm.

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EXCRETION: Definition, Importance, Need for Excretory Systems, Organisms and Their Excretory Organs, Excretory Organs and Their Waste Product

Excretion can be defined as the process by which metabolic waste products are removed from the body of living things. Waste product from metabolic activities are always produced by the bod and their removal are carried out by special excretory systems or organs. 


[Photo credit:  Hämbörger. License: GNU Free Documentation License]

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Respiratory System in Plants

Plants carry out gaseous exchange for: photosynthesis and cellular respiration.


[Photo credit: Yvan Lindekens]

Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants manufacture their food, making use of carbon dioxide and water in the presence of sunlight.

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Respiratory System in Mammals

The  most complex respiratory system is found in mammals. Most vertebrates, including birds, lizards and mammals use the lungs as their only respiratory organs where gaseous exchange takes place.

LUNGS

[Photo credit: Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator]

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Supporting Tissues in Plants, Their Mechanisms and Their Functions

SUPPORTING TISSUES IN PLANTS


[Photo credit: Emmanuel]

Plants generally are known to possess supporting tissues which give them definite shape, strength, rigidity and resistance against external forces such as wind and water to which they are continuously subjected.

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JOINTS: Definition, Types, Structure, and their contribution to movement

A joint is a place or region where where two more more bones meet or articulate. Movement is made possible with the aid of joints and muscles. Joints are always held together by strong ligaments which prevent dislocation during movement. Ligaments join bones together.

[Photo credit: Madhero]

TYPES OF JOINTS

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Appendicular Skeleton

Appendicular skeleton, together with axial skeleton, makes up the skeletal system.

The Appendicular skeleton is a skeletal system, which consists of the girdles and the bones of the limbs. The girdles consist of: 

• pectoral girdles and
• pelvic girdles 

while the limbs consists of:

• fore limbs and 
• hind limbs

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Axial Skeleton

The skeletal system in mammals are grouped into two parts: Axial skeleton and Appendicular skeleton.


The axial skeleton is a skeletal system, which consists of the skull, vertebral column, the ribs and sternum.



THE SKULL

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SKELETON: Forms, Components, Types and others you need to know

Skeleton can be defined as the bony framework of the body, which provides support, shape and protection to the tissues and organs in animals. It enables movement in animals. Without skeleton, movement or other life processes may not be possible in animals.

[Photo credit: Skimsta]

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Transport System in Plants

As I discussed in an earlier post about means of transport system, the medium or means of transport in plant is latex or cell sap and the materials transported are water, carbon dioxide, oxygen, amino acids, e.t.c. Plants require sufficient quantities of several minerals and other substances which are transported in them.

[Photo credit: Smartse]

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