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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