| Facial
Muscles |
| Carnivore |
Reduced to allow wide mouth gape |
| Herbivore |
Well-developed |
| Omnivore |
Reduced |
| Human |
Well-developed |
|
| Jaw
Type |
| Carnivore |
Angle not expanded |
| Herbivore |
Expanded angle |
| Omnivore |
Angle not expanded |
| Human |
Expanded angle |
|
| Jaw
Joint Location |
| Carnivore |
On same plane as molar teeth |
| Herbivore |
Above the plane of the molars |
| Omnivore |
On same plane as molar teeth |
| Human |
Above the plane of the molars |
|
| Jaw
Motion |
| Carnivore |
Shearing; minimal side-to-side motion |
| Herbivore |
No shear; good side-to-side, front-to-back |
| Omnivore |
Shearing; minimal side-to-side |
| Human |
No shear; good side-to-side, front-to-back |
|
| Major
Jaw Muscles |
| Carnivore |
Temporalis |
| Herbivore |
Masseter and pterygoids |
| Omnivore |
Temporalis |
| Human |
Masseter and pterygoids |
|
| Mouth
Opening vs. Head Size |
| Carnivore |
Large |
| Herbivore |
Small |
| Omnivore |
Large |
| Human |
Small |
|
| Teeth
(Incisors) |
| Carnivore |
Short and pointed |
| Herbivore |
Broad, flattened and spade shaped |
| Omnivore |
Short and pointed |
| Human |
Broad, flattened and spade shaped |
|
| Teeth
(Canines) |
| Carnivore |
Long, sharp and curved |
| Herbivore |
Dull and short or long (for defense),
or none |
| Omnivore |
Long, sharp and curved |
| Human |
Short and blunted |
|
| Teeth
(Molars) |
| Carnivore |
Sharp, jagged and blade shaped |
| Herbivore |
Flattened with cusps vs complex surface |
| Omnivore |
Sharp blades and/or flattened |
| Human |
Flattened with nodular cusps |
|
| Chewing |
| Carnivore |
None; swallows food whole |
| Herbivore |
Extensive chewing necessary |
| Omnivore |
Swallows food whole and/or simple crushing |
| Human |
Extensive chewing necessary |
|
| Saliva |
| Carnivore |
No digestive enzymes |
| Herbivore |
Carbohydrate digesting enzymes |
| Omnivore |
No digestive enzymes |
| Human |
Carbohydrate digesting enzymes |
|
| Stomach
Type |
| Carnivore |
Simple |
| Herbivore |
Simple or multiple chambers |
| Omnivore |
Simple |
| Human |
Simple |
|
| Stomach
Acidity |
| Carnivore |
Less than or equal to pH 1 with food
in stomach |
| Herbivore |
pH 4 to 5 with food in stomach |
| Omnivore |
Less than or equal to pH 1 with food
in stomach |
| Human |
pH 4 to 5 with food in stomach |
|
| Stomach
Capacity |
| Carnivore |
60% to 70% of total volume of digestive
tract |
| Herbivore |
Less than 30% of total volume of digestive
tract |
| Omnivore |
60% to 70% of total volume of digestive
tract |
| Human |
21% to 27% of total volume of digestive
tract |
|
| Length
of Small Intestine |
| Carnivore |
3 to 6 times body length |
| Herbivore |
10 to more than 12 times body length |
| Omnivore |
4 to 6 times body length |
| Human |
10 to 11 times body length |
|
| Colon |
| Carnivore |
Simple, short and smooth |
| Herbivore |
Long, complex; may be sacculated |
| Omnivore |
Simple, short and smooth |
| Human |
Long, sacculated |
|
| Liver |
| Carnivore |
Can detoxify vitamin A |
| Herbivore |
Cannot detoxify vitamin A |
| Omnivore |
Can detoxify vitamin A |
| Human |
Cannot detoxify vitamin A |
|
| Kidney |
| Carnivore |
Extremely concentrated urine |
| Herbivore |
Moderately concentrated urine |
| Omnivore |
Extremely concentrated urine |
| Human |
Moderately concentrated urine |
|
| Nails |
| Carnivore |
Sharp claws |
| Herbivore |
Flattened nails or blunt hooves |
| Omnivore |
Sharp claws |
| Human |
Flattened nails |
