[The "nivrées", or ichthyotoxic plants of French Guyana]. / Les nivrées ou plantes ichtyotoxiques de la Guyane Française.

An attempt to clarify the taxonomy, the biogeography and the ethnobotany of the fishing poisons of Guiana and adjacent countries is presented. Collections have been made for every drug and field-notes concerning all ethnic groups of Guiana. Data are compared with published sources, particularly those of the past centuries. Ichthyotoxic plants have been classified into three groups: rotenone-yielding plants (Lonchocarpus, Derris, Tephrosia), saponin-yielding plants (Sapindaceae), and the "kunami" group of plants (Compositae, Euphorbiaceae). For each drug the vernacular names, the synonyms still used, the most notable morphological characteristics are specified, as well as ethnological observations and active constituents when known. Drugs and fishing-related techniques were selected long ago by Amerindians then often diffused through Amazonian countries by mixed-blood populations.

Immunoglobulin allotypes (GM and KM) in three Amerindian populations of French Guiana.

We have studied 506 Amerindians from three French Guiana groups: 194 Wayampi, living in Trois-Sauts, and 100 living in the Camopi area; 47 Emerillon also living in the Camopi area and 165 Wayana living on the Litani and Maroni rivers. All samples were tested for G1M (1,2,3,17), G3M (5,6,10,11,13,14,15,16,21,24,28) and KM(1) by the classical method of hemaglutination inhibition. The phenotype and haplotype distributions are presented and have been subjected to factorial analysis of correspondence. Two common GM haplotypes are GM1,17:21,28 and GM1,2,17;21,28 but with an important variation in frequency. A rare haplotype, GM1,17;21R,28, probably the result of a genetic anomaly, is frequent in the Emerillon (17%). These populations show no evidence of Negroid or Caucasian admixtures.

[Rare electrophoretic variants of the proteins adenylate kinase 1, phosphoglucomutase 1 and 2, and transferrin (AK1, PGM1, PGM2, Tf) in two populations of French Guiana]. / Variants électrophorétiques rares des protéines adénylate kinase 1, phosphoglucomutase 1 et 2 et transferrine (AK1, PGM1, PGM2, Tf) dans deux populations de Guyane française.

Two small populations of inner French Guiana were investigated for red cell enzymes and serum proteins. Rare variants were found in four systems (AK1, PGM1, PGM2, Tf). Similarities between some of these variants and those found in other Amerindian populations indicate that these genetic markers may be valuable in studies of Amerindians. A mutation rate has been estimated from the results.

A genetic study of two French Guiana Amerindian populations. I. Serum proteins and red cell enzymes.

Phenotypes and gene frequencies are presented for 20 serum and erythrocyte proteins in two Amerindian populations of inner French Guiana. No genetic variability was detected in 12 of these systems. Heterozygosity was calculated for the others and the reasons for its variation are discussed.

Gm and Km allotypes in Wayampi, Wayana and Emerillon Indians from French Guiana.

We have studied 506 Amerindians from three French Guiana groups: 194 Wayampi, living in Trois-Sauts, and 100 in the Camopi area; 47 Emerillon also living in the Camopi area and 165 Wayana on the Litani and Maroni rivers. All samples were tested for G1m(1,2,3,17), G3m(5,6,10,11,13,14,15,16,21,24,28) and Km(1) by the classical method of hemaglutination inhibition. The phenotype and haplotype distributions are presented and have been subjected to factorial correspondence analysis. Two Gm haplotypes are common: Gm1,17;21,28, and Gm1,2,17;21,28, but with an important variation in frequency. A rare haplotype, probably the result of a genetic anomaly: Gm1,17;21R,28, is frequent in the Emerillon (17%). These populations show no evidence of Black or Caucasian admixtures.