A herbivore is an animal that has evolved to primarily eat plants, including foliage, fruits, and seeds. This group also includes those consuming non-vascular plants like mosses and algae but excludes detritivores and fungivores.
Herbivores have specialized mouth structures and digestive systems with enzymes like amylase and cellulase, allowing them to break down plant materials. Grazing herbivores, such as horses and cattle, possess flat teeth for grinding tougher materials and often exhibit behaviors like rumination to extract more nutrients. Many also rely on mutualistic gut flora that help digest cellulose, which is tougher to break down than the proteins and fats found in animal tissues.
