Coprophagia: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Millipede.jpg|thumb|right|Some species of Diplopods are obligate coprophages.]] | |||
== Coprophagia == | == Coprophagia == | ||
'''Coprophagia''' or '''Coprophagy''' are terms associated with the act of consuming feces. | '''Coprophagia''' or '''Coprophagy''' are terms associated with the act of consuming feces. The word is derivative of the Greek κόπρος (copros), "feces" and φαγεῖν (phagein), "to eat". ''Coprophagy'' comes in many different flavors; ''heterospecifics'' consume the feces of other species, ''allocoprophagy'' is the consumption of the feces of an individual of the same species and ''autocoprophagy'' is the consumption of one's own feces. It is typical of some animal species to eat feces, lagomorphs do so to allow tough plant material to digest more efficiently via two passages through the digestive tract. Other species may eat feces under specific behavioral conditions that are beneficial to the species, its symbiont and the surrounding environment. | ||
== Invertebrates == | |||
Coprophagous insects, of the [[Hexapod]] group of the [[Arthropod]] phylum, consume and digest the feces of larger species that have digestive tracts of lesser efficiency when it comes to breaking down nutrients in foods and making them biologically available for further uptake by plants or animals. Some | |||
== Importance to [[Soil Ecology]] == | |||
there will be more information here | |||
== References == | |||
there will be references here | |||
Revision as of 23:06, 9 April 2019
Coprophagia
Coprophagia or Coprophagy are terms associated with the act of consuming feces. The word is derivative of the Greek κόπρος (copros), "feces" and φαγεῖν (phagein), "to eat". Coprophagy comes in many different flavors; heterospecifics consume the feces of other species, allocoprophagy is the consumption of the feces of an individual of the same species and autocoprophagy is the consumption of one's own feces. It is typical of some animal species to eat feces, lagomorphs do so to allow tough plant material to digest more efficiently via two passages through the digestive tract. Other species may eat feces under specific behavioral conditions that are beneficial to the species, its symbiont and the surrounding environment.
Invertebrates
Coprophagous insects, of the Hexapod group of the Arthropod phylum, consume and digest the feces of larger species that have digestive tracts of lesser efficiency when it comes to breaking down nutrients in foods and making them biologically available for further uptake by plants or animals. Some
Importance to Soil Ecology
there will be more information here
References
there will be references here