Hermit crabs and cockroaches emerge as unlikely seed dispersers on a Japanese island

Mongabay
Aug 21, 2026, 12:35 am110 ptsTrending
In the humid, coastal forests of Japan’s Ishigaki Island, near Okinawa, a parasitic plant relies on some unusual allies to spread its seeds: land hermit crabs and cockroaches, according to a recent study. The plant, fungus root (Balanophora fungosa), is non-photosynthetic, meaning it lacks chlorophyll and…

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Hermit crabs and cockroaches emerge as unlikely seed dispersers on a Japanese island

Mongabay

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