Aspectos morfológicos da pele e avaliação qualitativa do couro de pirarara (Phractocephalus hemioliopterus, Bloch & Schneider 1801) oriundo do estado do Amazonas

Abstract

Amazonian fisheries are characterized by species richness exploited, by fish caught amount and by local human population dependence for this activity. The Amazonas State, in 2010, equals 2008 and 2009 , was the largest producer of freshwater fish in Brazil, with 70,896 ton (28.5 % of the total catch). Catfish fishing happens in the river channel, according the hydrological cycle and species life cycle. The pirarara (Phractocephalus hemioliopterus) belongs to Siluriform order and Pimelodidae family; differs to other large catfish by color pattern, showing a strong counter- shading as well as the orange to red caudal, dorsal and pectoral end fins. In this research, to production registry about this fish specie in exporters frigorific industry, was conducted the secondary data collection through literature. Additionally, to physico-chemical analyzes, sampling where in June/July 2009 and 2010 years (regional flood season rivers) and October/November 2011(regional drought season), being 14 samples in each period. The analyzes were carried out in the Laboratório de Tecnologia do Pescado, UFAM. The skins were comminuted and aliquots were used for centesimal composition determination, according AOAC official method (1995). The production data results for pirarara, landed in different places of Amazonas State, between 2001 and 2012 were 3,378 ton. The statistical analysis for biometrical total weight showed independence to seasonal river period – 2009 (flood), 2010 (flood) and 2011 (drought) – according p = 0.1860 and α = 5 % . To furcal length no statistically significant difference between years 2009, 2010 and 2011, independent of periods too, according p = 0.3586 and α = 5 %. The pirarara’s fresh skin centesimal composition during the flood (2010) and drought (2011) showed the following results, respectively: 61.20% and 58.43% for moisture; 38.29% and 42.00% for proteins, a small increase in the drought season. For lipids were observed an decrease in the flood season (1.36%) over the drought season (3,9%). For ash, presenting 0.63% (flood) and 0.67% (drought), there was no difference between the seasonal periods.