What digestive process was Xenoceratops likely reliant upon for bulk digestion of plant material?
Answer
Fermentation-based digestion relying on microflora in the gut
While the beak handled initial mechanical cutting, the bulk digestion of fibrous plant matter required significant internal assistance. Paleontologists theorize that Xenoceratops relied heavily on fermentation, meaning that microflora residing within its gut chemically broke down the consumed material. This digestive strategy is common among large herbivores, enabling them to extract maximum nutrition from low-quality or inherently hard-to-digest cellulose. The animal's massive size provided the necessary internal volume, effectively acting as a large fermentation vat crucial for supporting its substantial bulk.
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