Abstract Indigenous peoples and traditional communities prioritize social and interactive relationships between humans and non-humans in which natural beings like animals, plants, fungi, rivers, waterfalls, rocks, caves or mountains are imbued with spirits, subjectivities and reflective awareness. According to the cosmological perceptions of different cultures, elemental or enteal beings directly or indirectly act in the regulation of anthropic activities, guiding the behavior of individuals who enter various natural spaces for activities such as hunting, fishing, gathering, cultivation and recreation. This review of the literature in the Google Scholar and Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) databases from January to July 2021 addresses the entities that act as guardians of nature and resources, especially animal species that are hunted. Special attention is directed to two of the best-known protective entities in Brazil: Curupira and Caipora. The combination of spirituality and ecology is essential to understand and support local beliefs and, in turn, implement ecologically-based strategies for rational conservation of natural resources and maintenance of the rich biocultural heritage associated with them.

Resumo Povos indígenas e comunidades tradicionais dão prioridade às relações sociais e interativas entre humanos e não humanos, em que entes naturais, como animais, plantas, fungos, rios, cachoeiras, rochas, cavernas ou montanhas, estão imbuídos de espíritos, com subjetividades e consciência reflexiva. De acordo com as cosmopercepções de diferentes culturas, os seres elementais ou enteais atuam direta ou indiretamente na regulação de atividades antrópicas, guiando o comportamento dos indivíduos que adentram espaços naturais diversos, para fins de caça, pesca, coleta, cultivo, recreação etc. Por meio de uma revisão comparada de bibliografia obtida nas bases de dados Google Scholar e Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), no período de janeiro a julho de 2021, o presente artigo discute acerca dos entes que exercem a função de guardiões da natureza e dos recursos, especialmente das espécies animais de interesse cinegético (caça). Uma atenção especial é direcionada a duas das entidades protetoras mais conhecidas no imaginário brasileiro: Curupira e Caipora. Torna-se premente conceber a união da espiritualidade com a ecologia, objetivando entender e apoiar as crenças locais, a fim de implementar estratégias ecologicamente embasadas para alcançar tanto a conservação racional dos recursos naturais quanto a manutenção do rico patrimônio biocultural a eles associada.

ABSTRACT The increasing loss of local ecological knowledge may have negative impacts on the resilience of socio-ecological systems and may also negatively impact bioprospecting efforts, since local ecological knowledge is an important source of information for searching new drugs. Recent studies try to evaluate whether communities are experiencing loss of local ecological knowledge. However, some of them make conclusions which are erroneously based on specific analyses of a single indicator. We propose an integrative analysis of three indicators, namely: number of plants cited by young people and elders, therapeutic choices and people's connectance in terms of medicinal plant learning. The study was carried out in the community of Sucruiuzinho (Bahia, Brazil). We conducted semistructured interviews and a therapeutic recall with 24 local dwellers. We did not find evidence of local ecological knowledge loss in the studied community. Although younger people know fewer plants, they are well connected in terms of knowledge transmission. Moreover, in illness events, young people and adults have similar proportions of choice for plants when compared to allopathy. Concomitant use of the three indicators leads to a more realistic scenario of local ecological knowledge loss than the use of only one of them.

Freshwater crabs are important elements in the aquatic biota of brooks, rivers, lakes and ponds, from both ecological and the socio-economic aspects. Trichodactylidae comprises 51 endemic species from the Neotropical region. Among all the species of this family, Trichodactylus fluviatilis Latreille, 1828 has the widest geographic distribution throughout Brazil. Despite that, there are few published contributions on the biology of this species. The present study investigated the following aspects of T. fluviatilis: relative growth, mean size at onset of morphometric maturity, sexual dimorphism, laterality and heterochely. Specimens were collected monthly from September 2010 through August 2011, from the Velha Eugênia Brook, municipality of Santa Teresinha, State of Bahia. Carapace width (CW), carapace length (CL), major cheliped length (MaCL) and minor cheliped length (MiCL), major cheliped height (MaCH) and minor cheliped height (MiCH), and width of the fifth abdominal segment (5AB) were measured to evaluate the presence of sexual dimorphism; the major difference between the sexes was in the CW vs. 5AB ratio. Heterochely was observed in males and females,with the right cheliped larger than the left in 89% of males and 81% of females. Crab size at the onset of morphometric maturity (= puberty molt) was estimated based on the ratio between CL, cheliped dimensions, 5AB and CW (independent variable). Females were larger than males when they reached morphometric maturity in all studied relations. We recommend the use of chelipeds and abdominal width relationships to estimate the size at the morphometric maturity in males and females, respectively.

O presente artigo registra os saberes pesqueiros empíricos relacionados com o extrativismo de crustáceos braquiúros de importância econômica no município de Conde, Litoral Norte do Estado da Bahia, caracterizando as técnicas e apetrechos empregados na coleta desses crustáceos, além de discutir aspectos ligados à comercialização do pescado e à territorialidade. Os dados foram obtidos no período de setembro de 2007 a dezembro de 2009 mediante entrevistas semi-estruturadas e observações comportamentais, recorrendo-se às técnicas usuais de registro etnográfico. Foram entrevistados 57 pescadores artesanais, de ambos os gêneros, com idades entre 10 e 78 anos. Os dados foram analisados qualitativamente comparando-se os saberes locais com a literatura acadêmica especializada. Foram realizadas quatro campanhas de análise biométrica de siris (Callinectes spp.) com o objetivo de determinar a proporção sexual e morfométrica. Os resultados mostram que a coleta de crustáceos tem uma motivação predominantemente econômica, embora também seja a principal fonte de subsistência local. Na análise biométrica dos indivíduos de siris foi evidenciada a preferência por animais de porte maior, independente do gênero. A pesca artesanal dos crustáceos em Conde é realizada com uma diversidade de técnicas e apetrechos que, de forma direta ou indireta, interfere na dinâmica faunística e ecossistêmica. Embora haja uma consciência conservacionista por parte dos participantes da pesquisa, evidenciam-se diferentes atitudes de manejo. Trabalhos posteriores podem vir a fornecer subsídios visando ao manejo e uso sustentável destes recursos pesqueiros, vindo a beneficiar as comunidades locais.

This study presents the empirical knowledge of artisanal fishermen from the municipality of Conde, Northeastern Bahia State, regarding the catch of brachyuran crustaceans of economic importance in the region. The local techniques and tools used by crab gatherers, as well as the aspects of trade and territoriality are discussed. The data were obtained from September 2007 to December 2009 through open-ended recorded interviews and behavioral observation, considering the usual methods for ethnographic work. A total of 57 artisanal fishermen of both genders and aged between 10 and 78 years were interviewed. The data were analyzed to compare the information provided by participants with those registered in the academic literature. There were four campaigns of biometric analysis of portunid crabs (Callinectes spp.) to determine their sex ratio and morphometry. The capture of resources has a predominantly economic motivation, but is also the main income source of these fishermen. In the biometric analysis of mangrove-crabs, the preference by larger animals was showed regardless the gender. It was also noted the territoriality phenomenon in fishing, though the "fisheries" are freely accessible to all. The artisanal fishing of brachyuran crustaceans of economic importance in Conde is performed with a variety of techniques and equipments that in a direct or indirect way interfere with the fauna and ecosystem dynamics. Although there was some conservation awareness by the participants of this study, different management attitudes were showed. Further studies are needed for the management and sustainable use of these fishery resources, thus providing benefits to local communities.

Por medio de métodos normalizados oficiales se analiza y compara el valor nutritivo de algunas especies de escarabajos comestibles de México y el Pachymerus nucleorum de Brasil. Se concluye que los escarabajos comestibles de México y P. nucleorum poseen un alto valor nutritivo en proteínas, aminoácidos, grasas, calorías y minerales, por lo que su ingestión coadyuva a la nutrición de las poblaciones humanas que hacen acopio de este recurso alimenticio de acuerdo a su abundancia durante las diferentes estaciones del año, en las cuales son encontrados.

By means of standardized methods, the nutritive value of some beetle species that are eaten in Mexico and that of Pachymerus nucleorum from Brazil was analyzed and compared. It is concluded that the edible beetles of Mexico and P. nucleorum show a high nutritive value in proteins, amino acids, fats, calories, and minerals. Their ingestion contributes to the nutrition of the people that use this kind of food resource, in accordance with their abundance during several seasons of the year when they are available.

Por meio de métodos normalizados oficiais se analisa e compara o valor nutritivo de algumas espécies de escaravelhos comestíveis do México e o Pachymerus nucleorum do Brasil, sendo esta a primeira vez que se da a conhecer a composição química de uma espécie de inseto comestível do México. Conclui-se que os escaravelhos comestíveis do México e P. nucleorum possuem um alto valor nutritivo em proteínas, aminoácidos, gorduras, calorias e minerais, pelo que sua ingestão coadjuva à nutrição das populações humanas que fazem aprovisionamento de este recurso alimentício de acordo a sua abundância durante as diferentes estações do ano nas quais são encontrados.