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Carnivores Herbivores

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Carnivorous Animals

Animals can be divided into two distinct categories called carnivores or meat-eaters and herbivores or plant-eaters. So what animals are carnivores? Some Carnivorous animals names are tiger, panther, leopard, hyenas, etc. and all of them derive their nourishment from meat products. How do carnivorous animals obtain food? Carnivorous animals have various adaptations which allow them to hunt prey and eat flesh. For example, when we talk about some popular carnivorous animal names, one which we come across quite often is that of big cats such as tigers. Carnivorous animals have powerful jaws that allow them to crush bones and sharp canines which help them to tear flesh.

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Characteristics Of Carnivorous Animals

Carnivorous animals feed on meat and hence have specific adaptations that allow them to hunt prey and eat flesh. Some carnivorous animal names include tiger and lion. These animals have mighty jaws and sharp teeth that help them to kill their prey. Some aquatic animals such as Baleen whales are predators as well and have filter-feeding systems. Various carnivorous reptiles like frogs and chameleons use their long sticky tongues to catch their prey. Most of the carnivores are fast since they often need to chase and catch their prey. Some carnivorous animals like spiders or snakes make use of venom to kill their prey and also to defend themselves. Carnivores cannot detoxify vitamin A in the liver. The length of the intestine in these animals is also comparatively small. 


Classification Of Carnivorous Animals

Carnivores can be classified based on various categories. Aviovore is those who consume birds; insectivores eat insects, vermivore consume worms, Hematophage consume blood, piscivore eat fish while oviovore eat eggs. Predators are those animals which hunt down their prey like cheetah or leopard. Scavengers, on the other hand, are animals which feed on dead animals like vultures. According to the diet's composition, some of these animals are called hypercarnivores which consume more than 70 per cent meat, Mesocarnivores which eat almost 50-70% meat and Hypocarnivores which consume less than 30 % meat. Some carnivorous animal names include tiger cheetah, kite, vulture, snake—tuna, shark, etc.


Herbivore Meaning

Before we discuss herbivorous animals, we must first be familiar with the word herbivore meaning. Herbivores refer to animals which feed on plants, fruit, leaves and other such natural food. This, in short, is the herbivore meaning. These animals are called primary consumers and find themselves in the second level of the food chain. Some herbivore animal names would include elephant, giraffe, zebra, horse, etc. To expand the herbivore meaning, we can say that the herbivores which consume fruit are known as frugivores while those which consume leaves are also known as folivores. 


Characteristics Of Herbivores

According to herbivore definition, these are animals which consume plants and fruits. These animals feed only on plants and require an adequate supply of energy to survive. These animals have acidic saliva, which aids in the digestion of food as soon as it enters the mouth. The teeth lacking in herbivorous animals are canines. Instead, the herbivores have molars to help them chew their food. A few herbivores also have sharp edges, broad front teeth which gnaw the food products and turn them into an easily digestible pulp. In most cases, herbivores are the source of food for carnivorous animals. 


Herbivorous Animals Name

Some herbivorous animals' names include butterflies, grasshoppers and treehoppers, which are insects. Some reptiles like tortoises and iguanas are herbivorous while goose and parrot are examples of herbivorous birds. 


Solved Examples

1. Define Herbivorous Animals. 

Answer: Animals which eat and derive their energy from eating only plants are called herbivore animals. Omnivores can sometimes eat parts of plants but generally only vegetables and fruits. The digestive system in herbivores allows them to digest all kinds of plants, even grass. Examples are elephants and rabbits.


Did You Know?

There are some animals which eat both plants as well as animals. These are called omnivores. Some omnivores hunt down other animals for food just like carnivores while some are also scavengers and some eat eggs—their omnivores which eat various kinds of plants but cannot digest specific types of plant-based food. Examples of omnivores include human beings, bears and crows. Omnivores come from a varied background and have independently evolved various sophisticated capabilities of consumption.

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FAQs on Carnivores Herbivores

1. What is The Meaning Of Carnivores, And What Are Their Unique Characteristics?

The carnivores are animals which have enlarged teeth like the fourth upper premolar and first lower molar that help to tear off flesh and tendon. The teeth are called 'carnassial pairs'. Various carnivores also have other secondary modifications in addition to the teeth that help them in hunting and eating flesh. The carnivores have a relatively large braincase, and the animals themselves often tend to be medium-sized as compared to their herbivore counterparts. These animals have highly developed senses that help them to locate their prey and hunt. Carnivores also include a large number of parasites like flea and lice. Examples of carnivores are tigers and sharks.

2. Define Herbivores And Explain Their Characteristics.

An herbivore is an animal which feeds on plants and ranges from insects to large mammals. Herbivores are in the second trophic level since they eat plants which are autotrophs and are themselves eaten by carnivores. Herbivores have various physical features that' serve as an adaptation to eat fibrous plant tissue. Most herbivores have broad molars that help to grind and mash grass and fibrous plant tissues. A group of herbivores are called ruminants, and they have a specialized stomach with multiple chambers. Some animals like giraffes and elephants have developed various adaptations like the long neck and the trunk respectively that help them to reach food present on higher branches.