Question

Caecum is large for digestion of cellulose with the help of symbiotic bacteria in

• A. Man
• B. Rabbit
• C. Cat
• D. Frog

Answer 1

The correct option is B Rabbit

B. Rabbit.

Solution: Rabbits are herbivores so that they need to derive nutrition from the large amounts of cellulose in their diet. They have a special mechanism for digesting cellulose. Rabbits harbour microbes in the cecum that release the enzyme cellulase to break down cellulose. The cecum produces nutrient-rich cecotropes that are later passed through the anus and consumed by the rabbit. The cecum contains microorganisms that can cleave the glycosidic bond and break down the cellulose through hindgut fermentation. The resulting food is then excreted via nutrient-rich droppings. The rabbits then re-ingest the droppings, a behaviour referred to as coprophagy.