Biannually Deciduous Reptilian Organs Used as Foodstuffs by Indigenous Villagers

Anthony Laurel

Abstract

Endemic animals contribute to dietary diversity in many cultures. The Rokotsuna Uso people of the Hoenn island chain of Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan are one example, eating what is referred to as the fruit of Tropius (Fructusaurus alatus Birch 2002). Notably, Tropius is not a plant but a reptile, and its ?fruit? is actually a highly specialized, biannually deciduous external organ. The yellow crescent-shaped ?fruit? always grows in clusters of three, ventral to the axis. They reach full size after four months of growth, after which they can be gently pulled off of the animal without causing injury, and new fruit begin to grow two months after the fruit are picked. The evolutionary function of Tropius fruit has seen considerable debate, but we offer a novel hypothesis. The most likely function of the fruit is to increase its survival rate when living with omnivores, like humans, that could potentially hunt Tropius. When humans first arrive in a new habitat, the populations of large fauna typically decrease or are extirpated due to hunting. As F. alatus are three times