Monogastric
Encyclopedia
A monogastric organism has a simple single-chambered stomach
, whereas ruminants have a four-chambered complex stomach. Examples of monogastric animals include omnivores such as humans, rats
and pigs
, carnivores such as dogs and cats, and herbivore
s such as Horses and rabbits. Herbivores with monogastric digestion can digest cellulose in their diet by way of symbiotic gut bacteria. However, their ability to extract energy from cellulose digestion is less efficient than in ruminants.
Herbivores digest cellulose via microbial fermentation (biochemistry)
. Monogastric herbivores who can digest cellulose nearly as well as ruminants are called hindgut fermenters
, while ruminants are called foregut fermenters
. These are subdivided into two groups based on the relative size of various digestive organs in relationship to the rest of the system: colon
ic fermenters tend to be larger species such as horses and rhino
s, and cecal
fermenters are smaller animals such as rabbits and rodents. The great apes
(bonobos
, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans), in contrast to humans, derive significant amounts of phytanic acid
from the hindgut fermentation
of plant materials.
Monogastrics cannot digest the fiber molecule cellulose
as efficiently as ruminants, though the ability to digest cellulose
varies amongst species.
Stomach
The stomach is a muscular, hollow, dilated part of the alimentary canal which functions as an important organ of the digestive tract in some animals, including vertebrates, echinoderms, insects , and molluscs. It is involved in the second phase of digestion, following mastication .The stomach is...
, whereas ruminants have a four-chambered complex stomach. Examples of monogastric animals include omnivores such as humans, rats
RATS
RATS may refer to:* RATS , Regression Analysis of Time Series, a statistical package* Rough Auditing Tool for Security, a computer program...
and pigs
PIGS
PIGS is a four letter acronym that can stand for:* PIGS , Phosphatidylinositol glycan anchor biosynthesis, class S, a human gene* PIGS , the economies of Portugal, Italy , Greece and Spain...
, carnivores such as dogs and cats, and herbivore
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
s such as Horses and rabbits. Herbivores with monogastric digestion can digest cellulose in their diet by way of symbiotic gut bacteria. However, their ability to extract energy from cellulose digestion is less efficient than in ruminants.
Herbivores digest cellulose via microbial fermentation (biochemistry)
Fermentation (biochemistry)
Fermentation is the process of extracting energy from the oxidation of organic compounds, such as carbohydrates, using an endogenous electron acceptor, which is usually an organic compound. In contrast, respiration is where electrons are donated to an exogenous electron acceptor, such as oxygen,...
. Monogastric herbivores who can digest cellulose nearly as well as ruminants are called hindgut fermenters
Hindgut fermentation
Hindgut fermentation is a digestive process seen in monogastric herbivores, animals with a simple, single-chambered stomach. Cellulose is digested with the aid of symbiotic bacteria. The microbial fermentation occurs in the digestive organs that follow the small intestine, namely the large...
, while ruminants are called foregut fermenters
Foregut fermentation
Foregut fermentation is a form of digestion that occurs in the foregut of some animals. It has evolved independently in several groups of mammals, and also in the hoatzin bird. All ruminants use foregut fermentation, whereas only some rodents and marsupials do. It has also evolved in colobine...
. These are subdivided into two groups based on the relative size of various digestive organs in relationship to the rest of the system: colon
Colón
Colón is a Spanish and Portuguese surname, comparable to the Italian and Portuguese Colombo . It may refer to:People:* Cristóbal Colón, the Spanish language name for the explorer Christopher Columbus...
ic fermenters tend to be larger species such as horses and rhino
Rhino
Rhino is a colloquial abbreviation of rhinoceros"Rhino" may also refer to:-Entertainment:* Rhino , a character from the Marvel Comics universe and sometime-foe of Spider-Man...
s, and cecal
Cecum
The cecum or caecum is a pouch, connecting the ileum with the ascending colon of the large intestine. It is separated from the ileum by the ileocecal valve or Bauhin's valve, and is considered to be the beginning of the large intestine. It is also separated from the colon by the cecocolic...
fermenters are smaller animals such as rabbits and rodents. The great apes
Great Apes
Great Apes may refer to*Great apes, species in the biological family Hominidae, including humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans*Great Apes , a 1997 novel by Will Self...
(bonobos
Bonobos
Bonobos is a dub band from Osaka, Japan. They formed in August of 2001. Their current lineup includes; Chunho Sai , Yasuyuki Sasaki , Natsuko Morimoto , Bondo Tsuji and Izumi Matsui...
, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans), in contrast to humans, derive significant amounts of phytanic acid
Phytanic acid
Phytanic acid is a branched chain fatty acid that humans can obtain through the consumption of dairy products, ruminant animal fats, and certain fish. Western diets are estimated to provide 50-100 mg of phytanic acid per day...
from the hindgut fermentation
Hindgut fermentation
Hindgut fermentation is a digestive process seen in monogastric herbivores, animals with a simple, single-chambered stomach. Cellulose is digested with the aid of symbiotic bacteria. The microbial fermentation occurs in the digestive organs that follow the small intestine, namely the large...
of plant materials.
Monogastrics cannot digest the fiber molecule cellulose
Cellulose
Cellulose is an organic compound with the formula , a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to over ten thousand β linked D-glucose units....
as efficiently as ruminants, though the ability to digest cellulose
Cellulose
Cellulose is an organic compound with the formula , a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to over ten thousand β linked D-glucose units....
varies amongst species.