What internal feature allows the white-tailed deer, a ruminant, to break down tough plant matter?
Answer
A four-compartment stomach
As a member of the order Artiodactyla, the white-tailed deer is classified as a ruminant. This classification implies a highly specialized digestive physiology necessary for efficiently processing tough, fibrous vegetation such as grasses and twigs found in its diet. The key anatomical feature facilitating this process is the presence of a four-compartment stomach. This complex structure enables the deer to engage in cud-chewing, which involves regurgitating partially digested food (the cud) to chew it again thoroughly, maximizing the surface area for microbial action and nutrient absorption from otherwise indigestible plant cell walls.
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