Blaberus Giganteus - Endosymbiosis

Endosymbiosis

Blaberus giganteus has a special relationship with an obligate flavobacterial endosymbiont called Blattabacterium sp. They engage in a host microbe relationship. The microbe's job is to take nitrogenous waste such as urea and ammonia and process it into amino acids that can be used by the cockroach. This is very beneficial to the giant cockroach because overall its diet is plant based and considered very nitrogen poor. Even though carbohydrate consumption is beneficial in mating it does not play an active role in male to male competition.