MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS AND CARCASS YIELD OF KINOSTERNON SCORPIOIDES (LINNAEUS, 1776) REARED IN CAPTIVITY ON MARAJÓ ISLAND, PARÁ, BRAZIL

Muçuã (Kinosternon scorpioides) has economic and social importance in the Amazon region, being widely consumed by the local population. This study aimed to evaluate the morphometry and carcass yield of muçuãs raised in captivity on Marajó Island, Pará, Brazil. A total of 26 (twenty-six) adult female specimens, four years old, from an authorized breeding facility were used. Morphometric analyses included measurements of the carapace and plastron. For yield evaluation, live weight and the yields of meat, viscera, and carcass were determined. The muçuãs showed a mean carapace length of 15.1 ± 0.7 cm and a mean meat weight of 54.5 ± 10.8 g. The mean carcass yield was 19.1 ± 2.8%, which is lower than values reported in the literature. The observed differences were attributed to methodological and biological factors, such as age, genetics, and rearing conditions. It is concluded that muçuãs present a morphometric profile consistent with the literature and a carcass yield that is relevant for sustainable production systems in the Amazon.