Believe it or not, certain creatures lost their stomachs during the course of evolution. Scientists believe that since this evolution took place 450 million years ago, some species that went through this process would never have stomachs again. In order to restore the gastric juices that are lost due to the absence of a stomach, glands were created. Read the article to know what animal has no stomach and what are animals with multiple stomachs. Moreover, what animals have 9 stomachs? Let us find out.
1. Baird’s Beaked Whale – Animal with 13 Stomachs
Yes, one animal in the Animalia Kingdom literally has 13 stomachs. Baird’s beaked whale also known as the northern giant bottlenose whale is the only animal with 13 stomachs. Beaked whales have multiple connecting chambers between stomachs. (Also read What Dinosaur Has 500 Teeth?)
2. Starfire – Animal with 9 Stomachs
There are a number of animals with multiple stomachs. Starfire, a Tamaranean, has nine stomachs, according to the Titan Series. Some creatures have many stomachs like ruminants or herbivores like cows. Check out Do Cows Really Have Four Stomachs?
Ruminant Animals – Animals with 4 Stomachs
Animals who have 4 Stomachs are known as Ruminant Animals. The food that they consume is digested by pushing it from one compartment to another. In the Rumen compartment is where the fermentation process starts, the food is mixed with saliva and the carbs are broken down, from here the food is pushed to Reticulum.
This compartment is wholly connected to Rumen and the food breaks down here completely. The broken-down chewed food is then passed on to the Omasum compartment, whose function is still not determined by the scientists. The food then enters the final compartment known as Abomasum, where the proteins are further digested using acids secreted in the stomach before the food is finally pushed to the gut.
3. Cows
Cows as herbivores consume greens. With its three stomachs, cows swallow when done chewing and later cough up their food only to chew it again. In a day, a healthy cow spends 6.5 hours eating and drinking. See Where do Cows Live?
4. Cachalot Whale
Cachalot Whales, also popularly known as sperm whales, are the largest of the toothed whales. They are easily recognized by their enormous square head and narrow lower jaw.
5. Deer
Deers are one of the 43 hoofed ruminant mammals that form the family of Cervidae. It has a four-chambered stomach, which is rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum
6. Elk
Another family member of Cervidae, Elks also known as the wapiti, is one of the largest species within its family. They are able to digest rough materials, such as bark and twigs because they have a specialized ruminant stomach consisting of four unique chambers.
7. Moose
Moose are among the largest animals in the Northern Hemisphere. Average adult males may weigh as much as 1500 pounds. The largest moose are found in Alaska.
8. Goat
Goats or domestic goats are kept as livestock. Like almost every ruminant, goats also have a four-chambered stomach, rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum. Also read What is the Largest Cattle Ranch in The United States?
9. Sheep
Sheep are raised for their meat, milk, and wool; usually stockier than their relative, the goat. They regurgitate their food and chew the cud, enabling their four separate stomach compartments to thoroughly digest the food.
10. Giraffe
Large African hoofed mammals in the genus Giraffa include the giraffe. It is the world’s largest ruminant and the tallest living terrestrial animal.
11. Pronghorn
An artiodactyl mammal native to central and western North America’s interior is the pronghorn. It too has four stomachs.
12. Sloth
The suborder Folivora is made up of a group of arboreal Neotropical xenarthran mammals, including sloths. They are known for their extremely slow movements and their signature hanging style, in which they hung upside down from trees. Find out Are there only 100 Sloths left?
13. Whale
The fully aquatic, diverse, and widely distributed group of marine mammals is known as whales. Also, read Is Foam in Ocean Whale Sperm?
There are a lot of animals with multiple stomachs, such as with 2 to 3 stomachs, as listed below:
14. Hippopotamus
A large, semi-aquatic mammal that is native to sub-Saharan Africa, the hippopotamus is also known as the hippo, common hippopotamus, or river hippopotamus. It has 3 stomachs.
15. Dolphin
Dolphins are aquatic mammals with 3 stomachs that belong to the suborder Cetacea. Families that include dolphin species include the Delphinidae, Platanistidae, Iniidae, Pontoporiidae, and the extinct Lipotidae.
16. Ostrich
Ostriches are large flightless birds with 3 stomachs comprising the genus Struthio in the order Struthioniformes. They are subclass Palaeognathae, a diverse group of flightless birds also known as ratites, which also includes emus, rheas, and kiwis.
17. Llama
The llama (Lama glama) is a domesticated South American camelid that has been used extensively by Andean cultures as a meat and pack animal since the Pre-Columbian era. Apart from this 3-stomached animal, there are several other animals that travel in packs.
18. Camel
A camel is an even-toed ungulate belonging to the genus Camelus that has noticeable fatty deposits on its back known as humps. Did you know camels have 3 stomachs as well? Do you know What Sound does a Camel make?
19. Alligator
An alligator is a large reptile belonging to the family Alligatoridae and the genus Alligator of the Crocodilia order.
20. Kangaroo
Any of the six large Australian marsupial species, known as kangaroos, are known for hopping and bouncing on their hind legs.
Are there Animals with No Stomachs?
Yes, there are a few fishes and 2 mammals that lack stomachs due to the course of evolution.
The following animals have No Stomachs:
- Platypus
- Echidna
- Lungfish
- Carp Fish
- Paddlefish
- Sturgeons
- Rays
- Skates
- Bichirs
- Some Sharks
According to research conducted over the last 200 years, up to 27 percent of all teleost species might theoretically be stomach-less. There are primitive cartilaginous fish like chimeras and some bony fish like lungfish who lost their cartilage body organs. Not only fish but other animals might also exist without stomachs. Let us see how many stomachs does a shark have in the next segment. (See How to Protect Endangered Species?)
What Animal has 800 Stomachs?
Such 800-stomach beasts don’t exist. So, there are no such answers to what animal has 800 stomachs. However, certain animals have two or more stomachs, including yaks, giraffes, koalas, deer, sheep, and goats. Animals have additional stomachs to aid in the digestion and breakdown of the tough, gritty meals they consume.
Many animals have stomachs with compartments, yet frequently they simply have huge stomachs with compartments. These creatures are referred to as Ruminant Animals. They have a highly unique method of digestion where they transfer food from one stomach compartment to the next. (See What are Behavioral Adaptation of Animals?)
How many Stomachs does a Shark have?
Now that you know what animal has the most stomachs, let us take a look at those of sharks and whales. Sharks and humans both have rectums, spleens, pancreas, and livers. However, there is a significant distinction between the livers of humans and sharks.
Large fish has one stomach, and sharks are among the largest fish. Their stomach is a crucial organ that serves many functions. They have a large U-shaped stomach inside them. The function of the shark stomach is distinct from that of the stomachs of other fish and numerous other animals. The stomach of sharks produces an acid that is strong enough to even digest a metal. Check out What Are Shark Teeth Made Of?
I hope you found this stomach-turning article about animals with multiple stomachs fun and interesting! You should now know what animals have 9 stomachs, what animal has 800 stomachs, and how many stomachs does a shark have. Share it with your friends and let them know what animal has the most stomachs. (Also read What Animal has the Most Stomachs?)