Historically, chelonians have played an important role as a natural resource as human food in the region, notably Kinosternon scorpioides specie or scorpion mud turtle, locally known as muçuã which has been suffering a gradual imbalance caused by inordinate catch. We aimed to evaluate the indexes of productive characteristics, at different stages of breeding, and the reproductive characteristics of copulation, ovarian activity and hatching of muçuãs in captivity, aiming better activity through an adequate zootechnical handling. The study was done between 2007 and 2015, when we analyzed 84 copulations, 742 ovarian activity and 1,979 births for reproductive evaluations, 1,835 animals in captivity, 921 animals for reproduction, and 3,614, among males and females for reproductive evaluations grown in captivity at Criatório Científico of Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, Marajó Island -PA. In the reproductive characteristic analyses the results showed that the reproductive period is seasonal, concentrating couplings during the rainy season, when the average coupling activity consisted of 00:23:00 h, with proportion male: female of 2,38 + 1,67. The egg formation process took 122,98 + 45,38 days. The egg laying distribution presented a climax tendency between the end of June and early August. Nidification average duration was 02:57:00 h. The egg viability found was 20%. The correlation results between the biometric, weight, and number of eggs characteristics were positive. The egg biometrical results were 34,5 mm long, and 18 mm wide, with average weight of 7,90 g. The average duration of incubation, in days, was 129.31 + 19.57. Births concentrated between September and December. The correlations of biometric characteristics with the hatchlings weight were positive between the variables (P≤0,0001). For the productive characteristics the weights were obtained for all zootechnical categories where the hatchlings in the nesting area, with approximately 12 months of age, weighed 199.20 + 45,36 g and the adult above 36 months, had an average weight of 503.63 + 73.21 g. The correlations between weight and body measurements were significant As (P≤00001) for all categories. The results of influence of morphometric measurements over weight for all categories were significant (P≤0.0005). For weight and body measurement analyses under the influence of the season of the year we observed that the variables were significant (P≤00005), except for reproduction. For reproduction, weight and body measurements were evaluated considering the influence of sex, when it was observed that females had more than males, but males were longer than females. The characteristics of coupling, incubation period, and hatching permit to delineate a reproductive handling for raisin the specie in captivity under the conditions of Marajó Island. Research directed toward biology, nutrition, and handling of muçuãs must be encouraged to increase production ex situ, providing greater subsidies for the establishment of systems of production that meet commercial demand by promoting conservation and increase of variability of the specie.
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