Rhammatocerus schistocercoides locust outbreaks in Mato Grosso (Brazil): A long-standing phenomenon
Evidence obtained orally or from publications clearly indicate that Rhammutocerus schistocercoides Rehn, 1906 (Orthoptera: Acrididae Gomphocerinae) outbreaks in Mato Grosso (Brazil) are a long-standing phenomenon, both in terms of their extent and nature. Current theories on the origins of these outbreaks therefore must be drastically revised, especially those that blame the accelerated agricultural development that has occurred in these regions since 1980.
ANIMALS IN THE NAMBIQUARA DIET: METHODS OF COLLECTION AND PROCESSING
This study reports items of animal origin observed to be consumed in two Nambiquara Indian villages and describes how these foods were obtained and processed. The Alantesu village (A) is located in the forest of the Guapore Valley and Juina (J), in the cerrado (savanna) of the Chapada dos Parecis, both in the state of Mato Grosso, western Brazil. Although similar methods were used to obtain and process animal items, the two villages presented clear dif­ ferences in the taxonomic composition of these items (A, more fishes; J, more insects and birds, for example) and the total number of species (A: 69 spp. vs. J: 90 spp.) observed in the diet. Qualitative and quantitative differences in the fauna in the neighborhood of each village largely explain the dietary differences. The methods by which items were obtained and processed by the two popula­ tions did not differ much, not only because they shared the basic southern Nambiquara culture, but also because the behaviors of the major food species are similar. The cerrado group possessed special techniques for gathering grass­ hopper nymphs and winged termites whereas the forest group used a wider variety of fishing techniques; each technology is associated with the greater availability of the animals being targeted. RESUMO.-Esteestudo relata os itens de origem animal cujo consumo foi obser­ vado em"duas aldeias indlgenas Nambiquara durante perlodos padronizados de observasao e descreve como estes alimentos foram obtidos e processados." A aldeia Alantesu (A) localiza-se na floresta do Vale do Guapore e a Juina (J), no cerrado da Chapada dos Parecis, ambas no estado do Mato Grosso, Brasil. Embora os indios usem metodos semelhantes na obtensao e no processamento dos itens animals, as duas aldeias apresentaram diferen~as claras na composisao taxonomica destes itens (A, mais peixes; J, mais insetos eaves, por exemplo) e no numero total de especies (A: 69 spp. vs. J: 90 spp.) observadas na dieta. Diferensas qualitativas e quantitativas na fauna dos arredores de cada aldeia explicam amplamente as diferensas na dieta. Os metodos usados na obtensao e no pro­ cessamento dos itens pelas duas populasoes nao diferem muito, nao so porque eles compartilham a cultura Nambiquara do SuI basica, como tambem porque os comportamentos das especies principais de alimenta~ao sao semelhantes. o grupo do cerrado apresentou tecnicas especiais para coleta de ninfas de gafanhotos e cupins alados enquanto 0 grupo da floresta usou uma maior variedade de tecnicas de pesca; cada tecnologia esta associada com a maior disponibilidade dos animais alvo.
The Nambiquara Linguistic Family.
1. The Nambiquara languages are spoken by American Indians living in the northwestern part of the state of Mato Grosso and adjacent parts of the territory of RondOnia, Brazil. The area traditionally inhabited by these Indians was on the order of 50, 000 km2, and within this region they were divided into some 25 regional clusters of villages, usually coinciding with the drainage basins of particular streams. Social relations between villages of the same cluster were generally more intense than between villages of different clusters, owing to their geographical proximity. But the village cluster did not constitute a clearly defined ethnic unit, as described by Barth (1969). Although individuals of particular ability might come to exercize a limited hegemony over a group of neighboring villages, no leader was recognized as having authority over all the villages in the cluster. While most marriages were contracted between villages of the same cluster, there was no rule that this ought to be so. And whereas more distant neighbors found it convenient to have a name for the cluster, members of the cluster had no name for themselves.