What specific feature of the lower colon walls results in the angular, faceted shape of the wombat's scat?
Answer
Variable elasticity
The key mechanism responsible for the cubing is the variable elasticity found along the walls of the lower colon. While the fecal material initially moves like a soft cylinder, sections of the intestinal wall within this critical zone are stiffer than others. These stiffer bands contract unevenly, applying differential pressure that squeezes the soft material into angular facets and edges, much like kneading dough or clay. This uneven squeezing creates the required geometric structure just before the material exits the body, resulting in the defined cubes.
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