omnivorous animals have a diet that involves so much plants or seaweed like animals. The term comes from the Latin, omni, which means “everything”, that is, omnivorous animals can feed on food from different sources. To ensure efficiency in this type of food, omnivorous animals have several adaptations. You vertebrates, for example, have teeth adapted for both cutting meat and shredding vegetables. As the best known example of an omnivorous animal, we have the human being.
Read too: Feeding the animals - also a way to classify them
Animal body adaptations to the omnivorous habit
A mixed diet needs a series of adaptations to ensure efficiency in both the absorption of plant and animal foods. These adaptations can be observed, for example, in the mouth. You insects omnivores, for example, have adapted mouthparts for that, it is possible to observe in them the pieces of the biter and chewer type.
In omnivorous vertebrates, the diversity of
teeth assists in feeding, being observed teeth incisors, canines, molars and premolars. The incisor teeth are used to cut food. The canines have sharp points that allow them to tear, for example, the flesh. Premolars and molars help crush and crush what is being ingested. In animals with herbivorous habits, premolars and molars are well developed, with canines being absent in some species. In carnivores, the canine teeth are quite developed.In addition to teeth, vertebrates have the rest of the digestive system adapted to mixed feeding. As the process of digestion of plant-derived products takes longer, the digestive tract of omnivorous and herbivorous animals is longer. This larger size is important to provide a longer digestion time.
Omnivorous animals and the food chain
At food chain, we observe different trophic levels: producers, consumers and decomposers. Producers are those who produce their own food, such as algae and plants. Consumers, in turn, are not able to produce their own food, needing to feed on another living being. Decomposers, on the other hand, are responsible for the decomposition process, such as fungi.
Omnivorous animals are consumers. Depending on the food they are eating, they can be classified as primary, tertiary, quaternary, and so on. When an animal feeds on a plant, for example, it is considered a primary consumer, as it feeds from a producer. When an animal feeds on a herbivore, in turn, it behaves as a secondary consumer. It is clear, therefore, that an omnivorous animal can occupy different trophic levels, depending on what it is ingesting.
Read more: Food chain and web - very important concepts of ecology
The human being is an omnivorous animal
Humans are omnivorous animals,since they have a diet based on plant and animal foods. From them we take the nutrients we need for our survival, and its ingestion is essential for our body to function properly.
Many people adopt a vegetarian food or same vegan, not eating food of animal origin. if properly guided by a nutritionist, the diet may not harm the individual, however, without proper monitoring, the adoption of these habits may be harmful.
This is due to the fact that a wrong combination of plant foods can do not provide all amino acids what we need. Furthermore, The Vitamin B12 it is present in foods of animal origin, and when we do not ingest them, our vitamin B12 levels drop, requiring its replacement.
Read too: Differences between humans and other animals
Examples of omnivorous animals
Humans are not the only omnivorous animals we know. Other examples are:
- Pig
- Cockroach
- Ostrich
- Mouse
- Guara wolf
- Catfish
- cricket
- Tortoise
- bear
