Forum for Science, Industry and Business
Sponsored by:     Siemens  n-tv 
Search our Site:

Topic (optional):

 

Home Reports Life Sciences Content

Why Sloths Do Not Sleep Upside Down

next article
07.04.2004

 


Several mammal species other than ruminants and camels have a multi-chambered forestomach – kangaroos, hippos, colobus monkeys, peccaries, sloths – but they do not ruminate.


As studies on the digestive physiology of these species are largely missing, it is generally assumed that their forestomach functions in the same way as that of ruminants, the most prominent characteristic of which is the selective retention of larger particles. However, retaining larger particles (which are more difficult to digest due to their unfavourable surface:volume-ratio) only makes sense if you can chew on them again, i.e. ruminate, and thus reduce their size.

In rodents and other small hindgut-fermenting herbivores, it is well-known that large particles are selectively expelled from the hindgut, as they are difficult to digest and represent bulk that limits further intake. Theoretically, therefore, forestomachs of non-ruminating animals should also rather selectively expel, not retain, larger particles.

In an article to be published in the July 2004 issue of Mammal Review, Dr. Marcus Clauss collates literature data on sloths which indicates that the interplay of resting posture, digestive anatomy and ingesta characteristics could, indeed, affect a faster expulsion of large particles from the forestomach of these animals.

Emily Davis | Source: alphagalileo
Further information: www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/toc/mam/

next article

More articles from Life Sciences:

nachricht New cancer target for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
24.11.2009 | New York- Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center/Weill Cornell Medical College

nachricht New hydrogen-storage method discovered
24.11.2009 | Carnegie Institution

All articles from Life Sciences >>>

B2B Search

Product / Service
Company / Organisation

Latest News

Daycare may double TV time for young children

24.11.2009 | Studies and Analyses

Insomnia prevalent among cancer patients who receive chemotherapy

24.11.2009 | Studies and Analyses

How green is your house?

24.11.2009 | Social Sciences

VideoLinks

Event News

Multidisciplinary meeting on Urological Cancers aims to benefit cancer patients

20.11.2009 | Event News

'Golden Age' for clinical psychology in Northern Ireland

20.11.2009 | Event News

New Perspectives in Marine Anti-Fouling Research

11.11.2009 | Event News