Resumen

MEDEIROS COSTA-NETO, Eraldo. Biotransformações de insetos no povoado de Pedra Branca, Estado da Bahia, Brasil . INCI [online]. 2004, vol.29, n.5, pp.280-283. ISSN 0378-1844.

This paper shows the way the inhabitants from the town of Pedra Branca, located in the state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil, understand the ontogeny of insects that live in the region. Fieldwork was carried out from February to May 2001, by performing open-ended interviews with 34 men and 29 women, whose ages ranged from 22 to 82 years. Interviews were carried out based on an ethnoscientific approach. According to the processes of biotransformations that were indicated by the interviewers, the "insects" can be grouped into three categories: insects that originate from plants, insects that originate from other insects and insects that change to other animals. The local processes of biotransformation usually include the "enchanting", in which an insect "enchants" and changes itself into another being that may or not be similar to that from which it comes. Such biological transformations have significance in the way people perceive and classify these animals.

Palabras clave : Conhecimento Popular; Etnoentomologia; Insetos; Ontôgenese.