Comparative Anatomy
The Digestive System The wolves digestive system digests animal matter because it is a carnivore. Their teeth are specialized for slashing and piercing their prey's flesh, and taking meat off of its bones. Their molars are used for crushing bones. Their stomach stores food, and the small intestine does most of the digesting. Their large liver produces bile, which breaks down fat. Since the stomach stores food, the wolf can go up to two weeks without feeding. The Skeletal System Their bones are strong which enables them to be fast runners. Their collarbones are narrow and their foreleg bones overlap. Their wrists are specially adapted and the forelimbs don't rotate, which helps keeps the wolf stable while it runs. Muscular System The muscle tissues allow the wolf to make conscious and subconscious movements. Circulatory System Their circulatory system is similar to human's. It is closed and the heart has four chambers. The right side of the heart is for the blood that goes to the lungs to collect oxygen and the left is for getting oxygenated blood to the whole body. Respiratory System The respiratory system is also similar to human's. The disphragm moves back and forth while air is brought in and out of the lungs. They breathe in oxygen, and release carbon dioxide. Nervous System: The nervous system consists of the brain, spinal cord, cerebellum, and the pituitary gland. The spinal cord handles relfexes and information of the brain. The cerebellum controls muscle activity and the pituitary gland controls the growth and development of the endocrine glands, which secrete hormones. The Immune System: Unlike most canine species, wolves are resistant to mange because of their immune system. They can heal themselves when they get it. The Urinary System: Their urinary system is the same as humans, it discards waste from the body. The Integumentary System: Their integumentary system is the same as humans, it is a line of defense against sickness and disease. The Endocrine System: Consists of glands that secrete hormones throughout the wolves body. |