Question

The ruminant stomach has four; but camel lacks one part i.e., _______
a. Abomasum
b. Omasum
c. Rumen
d. Reticulum

Answer 1

Hint: The herbivorous mammals that can acquire nutrients from the food that is plant-based by fermentation are called ruminants. To further break down plant matter after rechewing the cud and stimulate digestion is called rumination. The meaning of the word ruminant is chewed over again and it comes from the Latin word ‘ruminare’.

Complete answer:
The stomach is divided into separate chambers in ruminants which are:
- Rumen: This chamber helps in the churning process, cellulose, and hemicellulose digestion. It also helps in the fermentation of bacteria.
- Reticulum: This chamber first traps and then stores large feed particles temporarily.
- Omasum: This chamber helps in the absorption of water.
- Abomasum: This chamber is the same as the human stomach and helps in protein digestion. It is the true stomach.

> One part which is absent in the camel is omasum. In camels, only 3 ruminant stomach chambers are present that is rumen, reticulum, and abomasum. For the temporary storage of food and water, the camel consists of diverticula or water pockets in rumen and reticulum.

> The digestion of protein that is intake by camel from both feed and ruminal microbes is done by the abomasum chamber of the stomach.

> The function of the rumen in camels is to break down food particles through mechanical digestion and fermentation by using symbiotic microbes. It also helps in the removal of waste particles.

> The chamber reticulum in the camel has water pockets or diverticula that helps to store food.

Hence, the correct answer is option (B).

Note: In the stomach of mammals different chambers are present that perform various functions like storage of food and water, digestion of nutrients, etc. All the food particles and water break down in the stomach rumen. The large food particle is stored in the reticulum for some time. The water we drink is stored and absorbed by the omasum and nutrient digestion takes place by the abomasum chamber of the stomach.