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Os besouros (Insecta: Coleoptera) na concepção dos moradores de Pedra Branca, Santa Terezinha, Estado da Bahia

2006; Editora da Universidade Estadual de Maringá (Eduem); Volume: 28; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.4025/actascibiolsci.v28i1.1073

1807-863X

Eraldo Medeiros Costa Neto, Maria de Fátima Rodrigues,

Animal and Plant Science Education

Fieldwork was carried out from April to December 2004. Data were obtained from 49 individuals (20 men and 29 women) by means of open-ended tape-recorded interviews and following an emicist approach. Results show that the generic taxon “beetle” is used as an ethnotaxonomic category that brings together not systematically related organisms, besides the Coleoptera of the Linnaean classification. A total of 43 beetle local names were cited. People have attributed qualitative characteristics to these “beetles”, many of which are anthropomorphic. “Beetles” cause damages to human beings since they harm their health, materials, and local crops and fructiferous plants. Information on the natural history of culturally significant “beetles” was recorded. It is concluded that the traditional entomological knowledge of Pedra Branca’s inhabitants concerning the beetles is important as a source of information about local species.