Observação dos aspectos reprodutivos dos d. leporina; d. prymnolopha e d. sp. (cutias) do Parque Zoobotânico do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi Observação dos aspectos reprodutivos dos d. leporina; d. prymnolopha e d. sp. (cutias) do Parque Zoobotânico do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi

Abstract

The Zoobotanical Park of the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi is located in an area of 5.2ha in the center of Belém. The agouti, rodents of the genus Dasyprocta, are semi-captive in the park. The objectives of this study were to perform observations on the reproductive aspects of the agoutis (D. leporina, D. prymnolopha and a probable new species which was generically named Dasyprocta sp.), by obtaining sex ratios, offspring numbers and reproductive periods. The park was mapped in 4 quadrants, where transects were drawn for observation by sighting of the number of offspring, number of burrows and reproductive behavior, duringel:30h/day, in the afternoon. The individuals were captured from September 1999 to April 1999 with different traps, sexed, tagged, measured and weighed. The estrous cycle was obtained by colpocytology. Of the 111 individuals captured 41% were females and 59% were males with a sex ratio of 1:1.4. Dasyprocta sp. predominated (78%). The average number of pups per birth observed was 1.24, with 76% single offspring. Of the 28 burrows mapped, 51% were concentrated in the 10th quadrant. The average estrous cycle was 35.7 days. The sex ratio indicates a high possibility of copulation between animals during estrus. The predominance of single offspring may be related to space limitations. The high number of burrows in the 10th quadrant (little visited), may indicate a preference for calmer places to give birth. We observed a continuous polystral cycle, with no reproductive seasons, and pups were seen throughout the study period.