Who is a herbivore? Trophic groups of mammals

Herbivores, as the name implies, eat plants. Along with them, according to the method of feeding, predatory and omnivorous animals are distinguished.

Examples of predators include wolves, tigers, foxes and others. Omnivores include wild boars, hedgehogs, raccoons, crows and other animals.

However, most of all on the planet are herbivorous representatives of the fauna. These are the ones that will be discussed in the article.

What animals are called herbivores?

Herbivores or phytophages obtain energy for life from plants. IN the food chain they are on the second level between plants and carnivores.

Animals that eat plant foods are represented by various species. They live on all continents, in all climate zones.

These include the largest animals, such as elephants, and the smallest, mice. Even among fish, insects and mollusks there are herbivorous species.

Because of their diet, they differ from other animals. Firstly, they have powerful chewing muscles, with which they grind food. Secondly, their teeth structure is different.

The third feature is due to the fact that plant parts contain a lot of fiber, so they are difficult to digest. In this regard, herbivorous animals have a well-developed stomach and intestines, and especially the cecum. Some eat whole plants, others only parts of them.

For example, cattle prefer leaves to stems, and green parts of plants to dry and tough ones. Some animals even develop specializations: their bodies are able to digest only certain parts of plants (leaves, roots or wood).

List of herbivores

For convenience, zoologists came up with two classifications of herbivorous animals. Depending on what part of the plant the animal eats, granivores, leaf-eaters and frugivores are distinguished.

And, depending on the size of the representatives, two groups can be distinguished: large and small. Let's consider this classification in more detail.

Small herbivores

This species includes rodents, rabbits and hares. The peculiarity of these animals is that they obtain the necessary moisture from leaves, and sometimes drink dew.

Hare

In spring, summer and autumn, this animal does not lack food. It eats berries, grass, dandelion flowers, and lingonberry leaves.

Winter food in limited quantities, so the hare has to make do with the bark of trees and bushes.

Hamster

Wild hamsters feed on grains and grains. They also eat the green parts of plants and berries.

A domestic hamster purchased for children eats the same thing.

Mouse

Wild mice come out for food in the dark. They collect nuts, berries, and acorns.

Feed on seeds various trees, for example, maple.

Squirrel

Fruits, mushrooms, berries, plant seeds - the squirrel's diet is varied.

She also feeds on buds and acorns.

Large herbivores

This group is characterized by enormous species diversity. Among them there are both wild and domestic animals. Some live in the desert, while others are accustomed to the Arctic climate.

Elephant

Elephants eat and drink a lot. The diet includes leaves and tree roots.

They eat grass. Sometimes they eat tree fruits.

Camel

There is little vegetation in the desert, but it still exists and becomes food for this animal. Camels eat branches of sand acacia and saxaul.

They also feed on camel thorn, the thorny branches of which are not at all scary to the camel.

Hippopotamus

These large animals eat ground grass. They are able to digest even coarse dried grass that no one else eats.

They feed after dark, as they spend the day in the water.

Giraffes

Huge growth allows the giraffe to eat the leaves of the most tall trees. He grabs them with his long tongue and lips.

When listing his favorite plants, the following names should be mentioned: acacia, apricot and mimosa.

Herbivorous birds

Biologists divide all birds into herbivores, insectivores and predators. The first species is most often found, as well as birds that eat both plants and insects.

Herbivorous birds are distinguished by a short, wide beak, with which they can easily remove seeds from cones, remove shells from nuts, shells from seeds, and crush grains.

Goose

This pet loves to eat green parts of plants: leaves, grass.

They can eat seeds, berries and grains.

Capercaillie

It would take a long time to list the diet of this bird. It includes berries, leaves, buds and seeds.

In warm seasons, the capercaillie feeds on shoots and flowers, and in winter it eats the needles of pine and spruce trees.

Bullfinch

This red-breasted bird feeds on the fruits of rowan and lilac, linden and bird cherry buds.

It also feeds on the seeds of weeds: wormwood, chicory.

Crossbill

These birds live where there are coniferous trees. That's why they eat mainly coniferous seeds, which they take out from cones with their beaks.

If there are few cones, then the crossbill is not averse to eating tree buds and gnawing on frozen resin.

Thus, it becomes clear that herbivores occupy special place in the animal world. The special structure of the body helps them digest plant foods more easily than others.

They are represented by various species both among mammals and among birds, fish and insects. They live in all corners of the world: in the house among people and in the most distant places of our planet.

When we think of dangerous animals, the ones that most often come to mind are tigers, lions, bears, etc. We almost never think of herbivores as killers. The list with photos presented below should dispel this misconception. So, the most dangerous herbivores in the world.

In these animals, the mouth can be partly compared to scissors, since the sharp fangs point at each other when the mouth is closed. They live mainly in tropical forests Mexico, South and Central America. They live in fairly large herds, the number of one can reach up to 1000 individuals. If one animal from the herd is attacked or killed, all animals will attack the enemy. Predators do not attack the entire herd; they prefer to hunt young peccaries or those that have strayed from the herd.

These territorial herbivores can be considered the most dangerous in Africa, since they kill every year greatest number of people. According to statistics, lions, crocodiles and even leopards account for much fewer human victims than hippos. Males can weigh more than three tons. They are capable of attacking not only in water, capsizing various boats, but also act quite quickly on land. Their dangerous weapon is a jaw and long fangs that can easily bite a crocodile in half.

Share on social media networks

Representatives of the herbivore class feed exclusively on plant foods. Therefore, their jaws are well developed. They differ from each other in their body size, coat color, speed of movement and ability to hide from the enemy.

Characteristics of herbivores

Long muscular strong legs, hooves that protect the legs when moving on hard and rocky terrain. Hooves allow you to defend yourself from enemies. The thirst that torments them forces them to stay near bodies of water. The most common artiodactyl herbivores-llama, zebra, deer, elk, bison, roe deer. In addition to such massive herbivores, there are small and small ones, these include the hare, hamster, and field mouse.

Representatives of herbivores

Distinctive features of herbivores

• Elephant- one of the largest herbivores, endowed with a long sensitive trunk. With their trunks, elephants can grab the smallest objects on earth and get food from tall trees. Elephants have a variety of foods: tree roots, fruits, bark and grass. They eat a lot and hardly sleep. These animals walk long distances in order to get food. The enormous size of the elephant's body does not prevent it from walking quietly and running quickly. Their running speed can reach up to 30 km/h. Elephants are also very smart.
• The hare is a small herbivore that is endowed with a forked upper lip, which makes it easier for him to easily obtain food. The hare feeds exclusively on grass, and in winter on bark and dry twigs from trees and bushes. Hares have very well developed hearing. This allows them to hear the footsteps of approaching predators. Hares also have well-developed hind legs. They can run very fast, reaching speeds of up to 50 km/h. The hare jumps high and far, and sharply changes direction in the air, which allows him to easily escape and hide from the predator.
• Lama- an animal from the camel family. She looks like a deer, only without antlers. They feed on almost everything: leaves, grass, hay, twigs. Llamas have very strong and muscular legs. Therefore, they can reach speeds of more than 50 km/h, which allows them to easily escape from a predator. These animals also have good warm fur, which protects them from cold winds in winter and heat in summer.
• Zebra is an animal from the horse family. They are distinguished by a beautiful color - black and white stripes. This color is individual for each zebra and is not repeated. They feed exclusively on grass. Their bodies also need plenty of water, so they live near bodies of water and often go to watering holes. Zebras have large, muscular legs that allow them to run quickly and escape from predators.
• Deer- herbivore. Deer are distinguished by their branched antlers. The number of branches on the antlers indicates the age of the deer. These animals feed on all the gifts of nature. They are not picky about their diet. In summer they feed on soft grass and berries, in autumn on acorns and chestnuts, and in winter on tree bark and twigs. The deer has strong legs and great endurance, which allows you to quickly escape from a predator.
• Moose are animals with beautiful antlers, shaped like a plow. They see poorly, but their hearing and sense of smell are well developed, which allows them to hear the approach of a predator. Moose eat, just like deer, grass, tree bark, berries, acorns and chestnuts. Moose drink a lot, so they live near bodies of water.
• Bison- artiodactyl herbivore. In appearance, he has a threatening appearance, although he is completely harmless. They feed on grass and tree bark, and bush twigs. Having fast, durable legs, they run easily and quickly, overcoming long distances and high obstacles.
• The roe deer is a herbivore, a beautiful, graceful animal that feeds on grass, berries, acorns, and moss. They are very active and need large quantities water, so they live near bodies of water.
• Hamster- families of rodents. This is a very interesting animal. The hamster feeds mainly on grain from the fields. He puts the grain in his cheek pouches and carries it to his burrow. These rodents have well-developed clawed paws, which allow them to move quickly and deftly in space, running away from predators.
• The vole mouse is also from the rodent family. The mouse is very dexterous. The front legs are very mobile, which allow them to quickly escape if danger threatens. These rodents feed on plant foods—grains, grass, berries, and nuts.
• Gorilla from the family of herbivores, the largest monkey on earth. It has long upper limbs and lower limbs with powerful feet. Massive jaws allow gorillas to eat hard food such as tree bark, twigs and roots of bushes, as well as soft, juicy grass and fruits.
• The kangaroo is the most unusual herbivore, as it has a pouch on its stomach, appearance which resembles a bag, which is why they are called marsupials. The kangaroo carries its baby in this bag. Kangaroos have two long hind legs and two short front legs. They have highly developed hind legs, thanks to which they can jump very high and far. Kangaroos have well-developed hearing, which is important for wild habitats. They feed exclusively on plant foods.

- – animals whose diet consists of plants containing a lot of fiber; have a well-developed stomach and large intestines, mostly cecum; These include large and small cattle, horses, rabbits... Glossary of terms on the physiology of farm animals

HERBIVOROUS FISH- fish that feed on higher aquatic plants and phytoplankton. R.r. are grass carp, silver carp, rudd, partly roach, etc. (see ,) ... Pond fish farming

- (Diprotodontia) are opposed to carnivores (Polyprotodontia). The former (wombats, phalangists, kangaroos, etc.) have few incisors (at the top, no more than 3 on each side, and at the bottom, usually 1); the canines are small or absent, and the molars are massive with... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

See Phytophages. Ecological encyclopedic Dictionary. Chisinau: Main editorial office of the Moldavian Soviet Encyclopedia. I.I. Dedu. 1989 ... Ecological dictionary

Herbivorous species of hymenopteran insects from the superfamily Chalcids (See Chalcids) ...

When were dinosaur bones first discovered? Around 1820, fossilized teeth and bones attracted the attention of English and French explorers. large sizes. Studying them, they came to the conclusion that the fossils belonged to unusually large... ... Collier's Encyclopedia

Reptiles, compared to amphibians, represent the next stage in the adaptation of vertebrates to life on land. These are the first true terrestrial vertebrates, characterized by the fact that they reproduce on land by eggs, breathe... ... Biological encyclopedia

Cyprinidae is the richest family in the suborder Cyprinidae. Their mouth opening is bordered on top only by the premaxillary bones, which are movably connected to the maxillary bones. The mouth is retractable. There are no teeth on the jaws, but on the pharyngeal... ... Biological encyclopedia

Reptiles (Reptilia), a class of vertebrates. Modern P. relics of a rich and diverse world reptiles that reached their greatest prosperity in Mesozoic era. Compared to its ancestors, ancient amphibians, P.... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

- (Insecta), the largest class of animals, uniting more types than all other groups combined. Belongs to arthropod invertebrates. Like all these animals, insects have a segmented body with jointed appendages, covered... ... Collier's Encyclopedia

Books

• Animals of the planet, Papunidi E.. Life is everywhere: on the surface of the land and in the bowels of the Earth, in the depths of the seas and oceans and even in the air. It is simply impossible to see and study all representatives of the animal community -…
• Stereoence Dinosaurs, Tyszko A. (compiled). This book will open to young readers a world inhabited by many different dinosaurs. Some of them were the size of a cat or chicken, while others reached the size of huge whales.…

Herbivores are animals that eat plant foods: fruits, vegetables, leaves, plant shoots, roots. This class includes many species of animals: rodents, ungulates, some chiropterans, some reptiles, different kinds birds. The list is quite wide.

Many herbivorous animals were domesticated by humans in the process of evolution. The most famous of them, domesticated by humans, are ungulates - cows, sheep, goats, horses. These animals are actively used in agriculture both for obtaining meat and milk, and for work. The basis of the diet of domesticated ungulates is plant food - in summer it is fresh grass, hay and straw in winter, which farmers prepare in advance in the summer. Additionally, ungulates are fed vegetables - beets, carrots, and grain feed is added to the diet - grain, cake, specialized granulated food.

If we talk about small representatives, the most famous domesticated the small herbivore is, of course, the rabbit. Their main diet also consists of grass and hay. Considering that rabbits are rodents, they need solid food to wear down their teeth. To do this, many owners pamper their pets with shoots and tree branches. Rabbits also love fresh vegetables - carrots, beets and, of course, grain.

Dangerous herbivores

When we talk about herbivorous animals, we immediately imagine harmless rabbits, calm cows, shy goats. But not all herbivores are safe.

Elephant - calm herbivore. But many people forget that the elephant has a strong trunk, dangerous tusks and powerful thick legs with which it can trample its opponent. The hippopotamus is also a herbivore, feeding mainly on terrestrial and semi-aquatic grass. Calm, phlegmatic and clumsy beast. Moreover, a herbivore - what is there to be afraid of? But at the same time, the hippopotamus is considered one of the most dangerous animals in Africa. The length of the hippopotamus's fangs is more than half a meter. In a fit of rage, a hippopotamus can easily bite a crocodile. Therefore, even the predator tries to stay away from him. But hippos attack only in case of danger or if their cub is nearby.

If we continue talking about dangerous herbivores, you can remember

Herbivorous birds

Herbivores include not only representatives of mammals, but also birds. The food of herbivorous birds is very diverse - it is not only the seeds and fruits of plants and trees, but also grass, pine needles, buds on trees and even flowers. Some tropical varieties birds feed on nectar.

Wild geese graze in meadows and fields, so their jaw muscles are highly developed, and their jagged beak reliably captures food. Rooks dig up the seedlings and eat them along with the grains. Bullfinches, blue tits, lentils and some other species of birds feed on the flowers of garden and meadow plants. It is worth noting that even herbivorous birds can sometimes feed on insects - for example, during the period of feeding chicks. But considering that their main diet is still plant foods, they can be called herbivores.

Herbivorous reptiles

Apart from mammals and birds, there are some species of reptiles that are also herbivores. These include iguanas and some species of turtles. They feed on shoots, flowers, leaves and fruits tropical plants. Iguanas are not able to chew food, so they tear off pieces of leaves with their small teeth and immediately swallow them. Basic diet land turtles are:

• vegetables - cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, carrots;
• any plants - sorrel, plantain, lawn grass;
• dandelion is a favorite delicacy of land turtles;
• fruits: apples, bananas, peaches, plums.

Herbivores have special structure stomach, because it is more difficult to digest plant foods. Plant foods contain cellulose, which is very difficult to digest. To digest cellulose, the stomach of herbivores is multi-chambered and contains special bacteria and protozoa. These organisms live in the stomachs of herbivores and help digest crushed food. vegetable food.

Habitats

Herbivores are distributed throughout our planet. On any continent, in any natural zone, you will find herbivores. In the desert, despite high temperatures and a small amount of vegetation in the tundra, where most of the year the vegetation is hidden under snow. Herbivores occupy an important place in the food chain - or are fed by carnivores. The absence of herbivores will destroy the entire fauna of our planet, therefore many species of herbivores are protected by humans and are listed in the Red Book. You can find a list of them on the Internet, here are a few examples: bison, Przewalski's horse, bison, bighorn sheep and many other species that are important to preserve.