Boi. Mus. Para. Eiiiílio Goeldi, sér. Boi. 18(2), 2002 
PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Amazônia, Cantarofilia, Inajá, Polinização. 
ABSTRACT - Attalea maripa is a solitary and monoecioiis paliu tree 
commonly known as inajá in Brazil, inclianü (Peru), cuca rito 
(Venezuela) ainong otliers. It is a widely spread species, which is aiso 
very econoniically iinportant for the Aniazonian native population, 
on account of its friiits, Icaves, bracts plus first rate heart palin. The 
aini of tlüs study is to know the flower biology of A. maripa and to 
identify which are the possible pollinators ainong all the flowering 
visitors. The present study was conducted in the area of the Estação 
de Aquicultura do INPA, Manaus (3°05’46” S - 59°59’67" W) froni 
1989 to 1999, where data were collected on the flower niorphology, 
stigina receptivity, presenee of osmophores, ultra-violet reflection, 
pollen grain fertility and visiting animais. The latter were captured 
with the aid of, sterilised and dry fi.xed for later Identification plastic 
bags. Flowerings of A. maripa were visited by 103 insect species 
belonging to the following orders: Diptera, Hemiptera, Hyinenoptera, 
Lepidoptera, Orthoptera and Coleoptera, which was the inost 
frequent one, (74.80 %) represented on 71.40 % by the Nitidiilidae 
fainily. Curciilionidae represented 1.82 % of the visits and the rest of 
the Coleoptera were distributed ainong the fainilies: Cerainbicidae, 
Colydiidae, Crysonielidae, Cucujidae ( 1.58 %). A. maripa has a 
cantharophilous pollination syndroine (pollination by beetles). 
Coleoptera of the Nitidididae fainily are its probable pollinators 
while the other beetles inay be considered to be opportunist additional 
pollinators on account of their low freqiiency. 
KEY WORDS: Amazon, Cantarophily, Inajá, Pollination. 
INTRODUÇÃO 
O interesse na biologia da polinização é tão antigo quanto a 
civilização do homem (Real 1983). A biologia floral vem sendo 
estudada desde as pesquisas e observações de Christian Konrad 
Sprengel contidas no seu livro The secret ofnatiire in the foriu and 
feríilization of jlowers discovered, publicado cm 1793 (Pcrcival 1965) 
c vem aumentando acentuadamente nos últimos 30 anos, como citado 
por Kearns & Inouye ( 1 993). 
Os estudos da polinização de palmeiras foram iniciados com 
Martins ( 1 823) que analisou os efeitos do calor, odor e produção de 
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