Composição do leite e sua relação com tamanho da mãe e o tamanho e o sexo do filhote em uma população de boto-vermelho (Inia geoffrensis, Iniidae) na Amazônia brasileira

Abstract

Lactation is one of the most interesting biological, ecological and physiological phenomena among vertebrates. The composition of milk can vary between species, depending on the nutritional status of the mother and the age/size and sex of the offspring. The milk of aquatic mammals is one of the least known, especially in the Amazon biome. This study evaluated the centesimal composition (moisture, lipid, protein, carbohydrate, ash) of the milk of 20 female Inia geoffrensis from the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve. The relationship between the milk composition and the size of the mother and the size and sex of the offspring was also evaluated. The average values for moisture were 76.1%, lipid 10.3%, protein 9.3%, carbohydrate 3.8% and ash 0.5%. No relationship was found between the composition of the milk and the sex of the offspring or with the body dimensions of the mothers and their offspring.

Keywords Amazonia dolphin, aquatic mammals, Iniidae, milk composition