Comparative Anatomy
Digestive System:
The African elephant has a digestive system similar to humans. It has a stomach vital to the chemical digestion of consumed food. However, unlike humans, the stomach of an elephant is 4-chambered, like a cow. Because its digestive system is inefficient and only has the ability to digest 40% of consumed plant matter, the species consumes large amounts of food at a time. The stomach acts as the storage place for the food eaten in elephants.
The intestines are where most of digestion takes place and function in the exact same manner as the intestines in humans. Elephants have a structure called the cecum, which is located at the point where the small and large intestines meet. This structure is divided into many smaller sacs and aids in fermentative digestion of cellulose. Nutrients are absorbed through the thin walls. However, the large difference in size is what sets the intestines of a human apart from the intestines of an African elephant. The intestines of an elephant reach up to about 62 feet, whereas the intestines of a human are only about 20 feet long. The large size of the elephant’s intestines are proportional to the organism’s large size; large intestines allow for greater nutrient absorption that is required by a larger animal.
Lastly, the mouth of an elephant has some very defining features compared to humans. In comparison to the rest of its body, the mouth of an elephant is disproportionately small . Additionally, it is unable to open very wide. Because of this, elephants have well-developed salivary glands to help the initial digestive process and to compensate for the limitations of its mouth structure. Humans, on the other hand, have mouths that are proportionate to their size. This allows for normal and limited breakdown of food to occur in the mouth.
The African elephant has a digestive system similar to humans. It has a stomach vital to the chemical digestion of consumed food. However, unlike humans, the stomach of an elephant is 4-chambered, like a cow. Because its digestive system is inefficient and only has the ability to digest 40% of consumed plant matter, the species consumes large amounts of food at a time. The stomach acts as the storage place for the food eaten in elephants.
The intestines are where most of digestion takes place and function in the exact same manner as the intestines in humans. Elephants have a structure called the cecum, which is located at the point where the small and large intestines meet. This structure is divided into many smaller sacs and aids in fermentative digestion of cellulose. Nutrients are absorbed through the thin walls. However, the large difference in size is what sets the intestines of a human apart from the intestines of an African elephant. The intestines of an elephant reach up to about 62 feet, whereas the intestines of a human are only about 20 feet long. The large size of the elephant’s intestines are proportional to the organism’s large size; large intestines allow for greater nutrient absorption that is required by a larger animal.
Lastly, the mouth of an elephant has some very defining features compared to humans. In comparison to the rest of its body, the mouth of an elephant is disproportionately small . Additionally, it is unable to open very wide. Because of this, elephants have well-developed salivary glands to help the initial digestive process and to compensate for the limitations of its mouth structure. Humans, on the other hand, have mouths that are proportionate to their size. This allows for normal and limited breakdown of food to occur in the mouth.
Nervous System:
The African elephant has a nervous system very similar to a human's. Just as humans, the brain will grow and develop as it ages. The brain of an African elephant is the largest compared to any other land animal. In fact, it is about 4 times the size of a human brain. But, unlike humans, the brain of an elephant is small relative to the size of its body (although, elephants are scientifically proven to be very smart animals).
Like humans, elephants contain a central and peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system is divided into 2 parts, the brain and the spinal cord. These structures are responsible for receiving and sending neural messages as well as contracting the necessary muscles requiring use at the moment. The peripheral nervous system also consists of 2 major parts, the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system.
Also, just like in humans, an elephant's nervous system is able to respond to internal and external stimuli. Internal stimuli are factors inside the body that provoke reactions from the nervous system, such as an effort to return to homeostatic body temperature or the release of needed hormones in a given situation. External stimuli are factors from the environment, such as touch or heat. An African elephant's nervous system is capable of responding to such stimuli. For example, when the nervous system perceives a rise in temperature, it causes the elephant to flop its ears. Exposing the ears to a cool breeze lowers the temperature of the overheated capillaries located there; it allows for the blood to cool before flowing from the ears to the rest of the body. (The size of these ears are an evolutionary adaptation: African elephants have much larger ears than their Asian elephant counterparts due to the hotter climate of African forests in comparison to the cool climate of the Asian tropics.)
The African elephant has a nervous system very similar to a human's. Just as humans, the brain will grow and develop as it ages. The brain of an African elephant is the largest compared to any other land animal. In fact, it is about 4 times the size of a human brain. But, unlike humans, the brain of an elephant is small relative to the size of its body (although, elephants are scientifically proven to be very smart animals).
Like humans, elephants contain a central and peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system is divided into 2 parts, the brain and the spinal cord. These structures are responsible for receiving and sending neural messages as well as contracting the necessary muscles requiring use at the moment. The peripheral nervous system also consists of 2 major parts, the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system.
Also, just like in humans, an elephant's nervous system is able to respond to internal and external stimuli. Internal stimuli are factors inside the body that provoke reactions from the nervous system, such as an effort to return to homeostatic body temperature or the release of needed hormones in a given situation. External stimuli are factors from the environment, such as touch or heat. An African elephant's nervous system is capable of responding to such stimuli. For example, when the nervous system perceives a rise in temperature, it causes the elephant to flop its ears. Exposing the ears to a cool breeze lowers the temperature of the overheated capillaries located there; it allows for the blood to cool before flowing from the ears to the rest of the body. (The size of these ears are an evolutionary adaptation: African elephants have much larger ears than their Asian elephant counterparts due to the hotter climate of African forests in comparison to the cool climate of the Asian tropics.)
Circulatory System:
The circulatory system of an elephant is similar to that of a human, but it is different in certain aspects. The arteries and veins of elephants are surrounded by flexible muscle fibers that are extraordinarily thicker than those of humans or other mammals. The presence of these thick muscle fibers function to support the large arteries that is proportionate to their large size. The ears of an elephant especially have large arteries or veins that pump blood through many capillaries. This allows them to cool down, a phenomenon parallel to sweating in humans or panting in dogs.
Another difference between the African elephant and humans is heart rate. A human's heart on average beats at approximately 100 times per minutes, while an elephant's only beats about 28 beats per minute. This is a significant difference, especially considering the size of an elephant to a human. This is a sign of fitness and an efficient heart.
Overall, the main function of the African elephant's circulatory system is to accommodate the nutritional and oxygen levels required. This is the same case as in humans.
Respiratory System:
The respiratory system of an elephant differs from that of a human in that it lacks a pleural cavity; the lungs are directly attached to the walls of the chest cavity and diaphragm. Because of this, the respiratory movements in elephants are dependent on chest muscles as there is no mechanism, like the diaphragm in humans or other mammals, to apply pressure to the pleural cavity. The African elephant and humans do share a characteristic of how they intake air; the elephant can breathe through its trunk and mouth, parallel to the breathing of a human through his/her nose and mouth. The elephant's truck, however, differs from the human nose in its elongated shape. This shape is an evolutionary adaptation that has allowed for the ability to reach vegetation located in high places.
The circulatory system of an elephant is similar to that of a human, but it is different in certain aspects. The arteries and veins of elephants are surrounded by flexible muscle fibers that are extraordinarily thicker than those of humans or other mammals. The presence of these thick muscle fibers function to support the large arteries that is proportionate to their large size. The ears of an elephant especially have large arteries or veins that pump blood through many capillaries. This allows them to cool down, a phenomenon parallel to sweating in humans or panting in dogs.
Another difference between the African elephant and humans is heart rate. A human's heart on average beats at approximately 100 times per minutes, while an elephant's only beats about 28 beats per minute. This is a significant difference, especially considering the size of an elephant to a human. This is a sign of fitness and an efficient heart.
Overall, the main function of the African elephant's circulatory system is to accommodate the nutritional and oxygen levels required. This is the same case as in humans.
Respiratory System:
The respiratory system of an elephant differs from that of a human in that it lacks a pleural cavity; the lungs are directly attached to the walls of the chest cavity and diaphragm. Because of this, the respiratory movements in elephants are dependent on chest muscles as there is no mechanism, like the diaphragm in humans or other mammals, to apply pressure to the pleural cavity. The African elephant and humans do share a characteristic of how they intake air; the elephant can breathe through its trunk and mouth, parallel to the breathing of a human through his/her nose and mouth. The elephant's truck, however, differs from the human nose in its elongated shape. This shape is an evolutionary adaptation that has allowed for the ability to reach vegetation located in high places.
Muscular/Skeletal:
The muscular and skeletal system of an elephant seems to have a lot in common with that of a human. The main difference between the two is the greater size and strength of the elephant’s muscles and bones in order to support the heavier weight of its larger body. In fact, the skeletal system of the African elephant counts for about 16.5% of its body weight, whereas a human’s skeleton only counts for about 14% of his/her body weight.
A distinctive feature that the African elephant possesses is the muscular extension lined with skin that is characteristic of the genus itself: the trunk. It lies right where a human’s nose would be and is a fusion of the upper lip and nose. The trunk is an adaptation for breathing, grasping, touching, smelling, and sound production. Trunks serve as a huge benefit to the species, allowing the organisms to pick up heavy things to help with eating and drinking. Since elephants are of such great height, their trunks remove the need of bending all the way down to pick up food or water. Since bending over is of no problem for a human, we do not have this muscular structure.
Another distinctive feature of the African elephant is its skull. The skull of an African elephant is large yet light in weight. It is also an attachment site for many muscles that allow the elephant to move its trunk, jaw, and ears. In comparison, a human’s skull is thick but heavy. For an average-weight human adult, the skull weighs about 11 pounds, or approximately 8% of the human body weight. Lastly, just like human bones, the African elephant’s bones contain bone marrow, which has the purpose of making red blood cells to transport materials through the circulatory system and white blood cells to fight infection in the immune system.
Overall, the muscular and skeletal systems of the African elephant are generally the same as that of a human , but on a larger scale (as a result, of course, of their much greater size).
The muscular and skeletal system of an elephant seems to have a lot in common with that of a human. The main difference between the two is the greater size and strength of the elephant’s muscles and bones in order to support the heavier weight of its larger body. In fact, the skeletal system of the African elephant counts for about 16.5% of its body weight, whereas a human’s skeleton only counts for about 14% of his/her body weight.
A distinctive feature that the African elephant possesses is the muscular extension lined with skin that is characteristic of the genus itself: the trunk. It lies right where a human’s nose would be and is a fusion of the upper lip and nose. The trunk is an adaptation for breathing, grasping, touching, smelling, and sound production. Trunks serve as a huge benefit to the species, allowing the organisms to pick up heavy things to help with eating and drinking. Since elephants are of such great height, their trunks remove the need of bending all the way down to pick up food or water. Since bending over is of no problem for a human, we do not have this muscular structure.
Another distinctive feature of the African elephant is its skull. The skull of an African elephant is large yet light in weight. It is also an attachment site for many muscles that allow the elephant to move its trunk, jaw, and ears. In comparison, a human’s skull is thick but heavy. For an average-weight human adult, the skull weighs about 11 pounds, or approximately 8% of the human body weight. Lastly, just like human bones, the African elephant’s bones contain bone marrow, which has the purpose of making red blood cells to transport materials through the circulatory system and white blood cells to fight infection in the immune system.
Overall, the muscular and skeletal systems of the African elephant are generally the same as that of a human , but on a larger scale (as a result, of course, of their much greater size).
Excretory System:
The excretory system of elephants are similar to the excretory system of humans; both share the same organs, such as the kidneys, the ureters, the urinary bladder, and the urethra. The primary difference is size. (See a pattern?) As a result of the larger size of the bladder and other organs, elephants may urinate 10-15 times daily, producing about 6-18 liters of urine a day. The average human, on the other hand, releases 27-68 fluid ounces a day.
The excretory system of elephants are similar to the excretory system of humans; both share the same organs, such as the kidneys, the ureters, the urinary bladder, and the urethra. The primary difference is size. (See a pattern?) As a result of the larger size of the bladder and other organs, elephants may urinate 10-15 times daily, producing about 6-18 liters of urine a day. The average human, on the other hand, releases 27-68 fluid ounces a day.
