Amami rabbits of the Japanese Ryukyu Islands are considered living fossils, their closest relatives probably became extinct on the East Asian mainland a long time ago. And even of the Amami rabbits (Pentalagus furnessi), only a few thousand animals still exist on the two small islands of Oshima and Tokunoshima, where they roam through the undergrowth of subtropical forests and play an important role for the no less amazing plant species Balanophora yuwanensis. This is reported by Kenji Suetsugu and Hiromu Hashiwaki from the University of Kobe in "Ecology".
This parasitis -living plant does not operate photosynthesis, but taps the root system of other plants. To multiply, she pushes bright red fruit stands to the surface, which the dark rabbits like to eat contrary to expectations. So far, it was assumed that the animals would rather eat grasses, herbs and leaves while the seeds of the plant should spread through the wind. Because while many fruits form more juicy fruit bodies, those of Balanophora Yuwanensis are densely packed and dry.
Nevertheless, show traces indicated that animals could be at work here.
Suetsugu and Hashiwaki therefore placed camerafall near fresh fruit stands.
During the day, they also lighted up individual birds that picked on the red fruit bodies, but only at night the fruits were absorbed extensively: by Amami rabbits that were caught when eating.
They sometimes raised a complete, golf ball -sized fruit stand.
The examination of fecal samples finally confirmed that the rabbits left many seeds fully viable again.
From the frequency of visits and the amount of fruit eaten, the scientists concluded that the rabbits were mainly involved in eating the parasitic plants and are thus the main distributor of their seeds. This is also supported by the large proportion of germinable seeds that survive intestinal transit. In European rabbits, on the other hand, only about five percent of all ingested seeds of various plants survive the way through the digestive tract.
Another advantage for the parasitic plant is probably that the rabbits like to build structures at the base of large trees and then leave their droppings there. The seeds can then germinate near the important roots. Unfortunately, the rabbits are threatened by imported cats and dogs as well as deforestation and thus also this ecological relationship.
