Ataque de mutucas (insecta: diptera, tabanidae) em eqüinos e outros animais que estão em processo de domesticação para manejo e produção de proteínas na Amazônia oriental

Abstract

Tabanids are important insects because females of most species attack vertebrate animals in search of blood. They cause nuisance, stress, and transmit diseases. In the Amazon, the studies developed on the attack of tabanids on animals are restricted to a few works, such as Gorayeb (1985,1993,1999), Rafael & Charlwood (1980, 1981) and Oliveira (1998). The present work will add information on tabanid attack on three species of wild vertebrates (Pecari tajacu, Caiman crocodilus, Mitu mitu) that are being used and managed for captive breeding and obtaining products such as protein, skins, etc. This information will certainly be useful for measures to control the action of tabanids as cause of stress, debilities and diseases, because in the natural environment these species are host ire iras autoctones. The vertebrates will be kept in cages, under "Malaise" traps (Gressitt & Gressitt, 1962) in order to capture the tabanids. These traps with vertebrates will be kept for 20 days in 4 seasons of the year. A trap without animals will be used as a control. A bibliographic survey on the attack of tabanids and management of vertebrates has already been carried out. The infrastructure for the implementation of the experiment, including traps, cages, and animal procurement has already been arranged. The site of the experiment will be the "Crocodilo Safari Zoo", a private park located in the neighborhood Tenoné, Municipality of Belém, Pará. Collections will begin in May 1999.