What term describes rodents eating their own feces to absorb nutrients produced by bacterial action in the colon?

What term describes rodents eating their own feces to absorb nutrients produced by bacterial action in the colon?

• A. Coprophagy
• B. Autophagy
• C. Copropulsion
• D. Coprolalia

Answer: (A)

Coprophagy is the behavior of eating feces to reclaim nutrients produced by gut bacteria. In rodents, this includes recovering vitamins and other nutrients generated by bacterial fermentation, often by re-ingesting soft, mucus-coated fecal pellets (cecotropes) produced in the cecum. This recycling helps maximize nutrient absorption, especially for vitamins like B vitamins and some amino acids. Autophagy is cellular self-digestion within cells, not related to eating feces. Copropulsion refers to moving feces through the gut, not ingesting them. Coprolalia is a vocal tic involving involuntary swearing, not a digestive process.

Coprophagy is the behavior of eating feces to reclaim nutrients produced by gut bacteria. In rodents, this includes recovering vitamins and other nutrients generated by bacterial fermentation, often by re-ingesting soft, mucus-coated fecal pellets (cecotropes) produced in the cecum. This recycling helps maximize nutrient absorption, especially for vitamins like B vitamins and some amino acids.

Autophagy is cellular self-digestion within cells, not related to eating feces. Copropulsion refers to moving feces through the gut, not ingesting them. Coprolalia is a vocal tic involving involuntary swearing, not a digestive process.