stercor-, sterco-, sterc- +

(Latin: stercus, stercoris; dung, excrement, manure; feces, fecal)

stercobilin
1. A brown degradation product of hemoglobin, present in the feces.
2. A coloring matter found in the feces, a product of the alteration of the bile pigments in the intestinal canal; identical to hydrobilirubin (body formed from bilirubin*, identical with urobilin*).

*Bilirubin is a pigment produced when the liver processes waste products. A high bilirubin level causes yellowing of the skin.

*Urobilin is also a yellow pigment identical with hydrobilirubin, abundant in the highly colored urine of fever, and also present in normal urine.

Urobilin is a constituent of the brown pigment found in feces; which is derived from bilirubin by reduction due to bacteria in the intestine.

stercobilinogen
1. A reduction product of stercobilin which occurs in the feces; it is a colorless compound which becomes brown on oxidation, probably identical with urobilinogen.
2. A chromogen formed in the intestine from the breakdown of bilirubin; yields urobilins on oxidation; some is excreted in the feces and some is resorbed and excreted in bile or urine.
stercoligh
A calcified fecal concretion.
stercolin
A body found in fecal matter and thought to be formed in the intestines from the cholesterin of the bile.
stercolith, stercorolith
1. A hard stony mass of feces.
2. A hard mass of fecal matter in the intestine.

A stercolith can obstruct the appendix, leading to appendicitis. Fecaliths also can obstruct diverticuli. Also called: coprolith and fecalith.

stercoma
1. A fecalith.
2. A hard fecal mass, usually in the rectum.
stercomancy
Divination by observing dung or seeds found in dung.
stercomarium (s) (noun); stercomariums, stercomaria (pl)
A species of protozoan the shells of which become calcium carbonate: "The fine sand on the beach was really composed of Sarcodina; the beach could technically be considered a stercomarium, a storage place for Sarcodina."
stercome
Fecal matter of Sarcodina, in masses of brown granules.
stercoraceous
1. Having the nature of or containing feces; fecal.
2. Consisting of or resembling dung or feces.
stercoraceous filth
Consisting of or resembling dung or feces and any substance considered disgustingly foul or unpleasant.
stercoraceous matter
Consisting of, resembling, or pertaining to dung or feces and something that is discharged from the body.
stercoraceous ulcer
An ulcer of the skin which is contaminated by feces.
stercoraceous vomiting
1. Ejection of fecal matter in vomit; usually a result of intestinal obstruction; also, fecal vomiting.
2. The vomiting of fecal matter that has been drawn into the stomach from the intestine by spasmodic contractions of the gastric muscles.
stercoral
1. Being of the nature of or containing feces.
2. A dorsal pocket or sac of protodaeum in spiders.

Links to dung, feces, scato- words. Other "dung, feces, scarab, excrement" units: copro-, feco-, scarab, scato-.

Pointing to a page about dung beetles and ecosystem of pastures Contributions of dung beetles to healthier grazing animals.

Pointing to a page about dung beetles and ecosystem of pastures Survival of dung beetles is vital to successful agriculture.