PLANTS WITH TOXIC PRINCIPLES EATEN BY THE AMAZONIAN MANATEE (Trichechus inunguis) (MAMMALIA, SIRENIA)

Abstract

In the Amazon, a large number of native and exotic toxic plants and of suspected toxicity has been described (see Tokarnia et al., 2007). Amazonian aquatic and semi-aquatic plants are consumed by a variety of aquatic organisms, including the Amazonian manatee, an herbivorous aquatic mammal of wide distribution in the Amazonian ecosystem. This species has been historically hunted by local communities until current days. In a recent study about the diet of Amazonian manatees in the Mamirauá and Amanã sustainable development reserves, Guterres-Pazin (2010) reported on up to 49 plant species consumed by the manatee, most of which previously undescribed in the literature. Here we identify those plants of the Amazonian manatee diet that contain toxic principles and the effects of the toxic components on other (terrestrial) mammals.