Representações sociais, relações de gênero e programas de assistência e educação à saúde da mulher no climatério em Natal/RN

Climacteric is the name of the period of the human life that it is going from the 40 years old, approximately, until the 65 years old. Though, for besides a biological phase of the woman's life, the climacteric is an object of the social world that is rendered to different apprehensions and readings on the symbolic plan. In this study, it was looked for to know the social representations, that health' professionals acting in the programs of the climacteric and the users of those same services, build in respect of that purpose. Besides, it tried to be seen that the social hegemonic representation that guides the actions and the agents' attitudes in the practices of attendance and education for the woman's health in the climacteric in the extent of the investigated institutions. The data were collected through interviews, questionnaire, focal discussion group and direct observation. The observation field was constituted by the three institutions that develop the attendance and education for the woman's health in the climacteric phase, in the city of Natal. A gender perspective was also been adopted, sought to evidence as the cognitive structures that assure the masculine power reproduction, pronounce to the social representations to build a sense to the investigated purpose. It was verified that the social representations of the climacteric are built mainly around the semantic fields old age and disease. For the health professionals, the meaning of the simbol old age carries the marks of the indentified system of the middle class employed, but also, of the feminine habitus that guides them to have an ethical and aesthetic apprehension of their own body. The climacteric, in that way, is seen as a difficult phase , a painful event that scares . For the women attended by those professionals, the sign old age means feeling emphasis from the biological climacteric aspects, in other words, the sensations and signs that forbid the body to accomplish certain linked basic life functions. Along the whole course of this thesis, it was verified that the climacteric is a complex phenomenon that needs to be faced as such. While cultural phenomenon, it is urgent to look for means to help to combat the centrality of the professional representations that face the climacteric as old age and disease, particularly in the field of health

Mulher como sujeito da criminalidade: um estudo sobre a realidade de presidiárias do complexo Penal Dr. João Chaves Natal/ RN

This work presents itself as a result of the research: Women as the subject of crime: a study on the complex reality of the criminal inmates Dr. John Keys - Natal / RN, done with women incarcerated in the Women's Pavilion Complex Criminal Dr. John Keys. Aimed to investigate the key determinants that lead women to enter the institution to be subject of crime. To better understand the object of our study, we start to understand and analyze the social reality, economic and cultural these women, as well as seizure of their family relationships and emotional, within a gender perspective and consider the analysis of major crimes committed and their determinations. In our study, it appears from successive approximations and procedures theoretical and methodological quality and quantity, we were privileged to documentary research, observation and semi-structured, beyond the theoretical foundation on the subject - that the question of increase in recent years, women in the criminal occurs as a result of socioeconomic reality experienced by those. At the same time, the study has also believe that poverty and crime are not phenomena of cause and effect, however, it is undeniable that the large number of prisoners (as) are poor and live situation of denial of rights. The main focus of the research points to the socio-emotional relationships, both marital and family as the main determinant for inclusion of women in crime, breaking with the myth that the woman is "fragile sex." And, more, points out that the woman in the process of emancipation and achievement of public spaces to commit a crime seek equal to the male. Moreover, the research also denounced in a prison system collapsed, and totally abandoned by the public. That denies all rights provided to prisoners (as), both inside and outside the "walls". It is a system that criminalizes and no one wants to fulfill its role, which is the functional rehabilitation and resocialization of (the) inmates (those). It is hoped that this work could contribute to the unveiling of the reality of women in the criminal - no pretension of exhausting it - and can also contribute to further studies on the subject

O Gênero requerimento na perspectiva sociorretórica: análise da produção de graduandos no ambiente acadêmico-administrativo da UFRN

In administrative settings of public institutions, many activities are conducted through writing practices. Concerning this, writing is always connected to an activity we intend to perform. Among those practices, the genre request consists of an instrument through which the requirer addresses to an institution in order to request something under the support of legislation. Considering our work experience in a public institution of higher education, we elected - as object of our research - the genre request produced by undergraduates within the administrative domain of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) due to its importance in this context. For this, the theoretical framework adopted refers to the socio-rethorical conception of genre studies, which understands the genre as forms as rhetorically typified action (MILLER, 2009a; SWALES, 1990; BAZERMAN, 2009). Regarding methodology, it is a research associated to a qualitative approach (BODGAN; BIKLEN, 1994; CHIZZOTTI, 2010) whose discussion inserts into the field of Applied Linguistics. The data were generated from samples of requests and their users replies in questionnaires, interviews and verbal protocols of writing. The data analysis is based on the ethnographic methods of genre analysis postulated by Devitt, Reiff and Bawarshi (apud JOHNS et al., 2006). These analyses indicated that the requests are not always fully accomplished due to a lack of comprehension about the genre and its rhetorical situation on the part of the producers. It must probably happen - among other reasons - because these students may not have understood that several factors, such as: context, audience and purpose, affect the text production. We believe that one possibility to make the practice of this genre more efficient is to develop a more simple and practical way of elaborating requests, taking the needs imposed by the rhetorical situation as a basis

O Macrogênero drama Norte-Riograndense: uma análise de gênero e de discurso sob a perspectiva da linguística sistêmico-funcional

The focus of this qualiquantitative research is the phenomenon we are denominating Drama-of-Rio-Grande-do-Norte, which contemplates short verse texts from the oral tradition, sung and presented on stage by women in communities on the south coast of the northeastern Brazilian State, Rio Grande do Norte. This tradition harkens to the medieval romance of the Iberian Peninsula (CASCUDO, 2001; GURGEL, 1999; GALVÃO, 1993; MAGALHÃES, 1973; ROMERO,1977). The objective of this research is to: identify what characterizes the genre Drama of Rio Grande do Norte; situate this genre within a systemization of genres from the oral tradition in Rio Grande do Norte; investigate the interpersonal relationships of power and solidarity through the role of the women in the discourse, how they see themselves and others, pointing out which elements of the world they evaluate and to identify representations of the feminine in the discourse. The theory of Genre and Register of Martin and Rose (2008) and Generic Structure Potential of Hasan (1989, 1996), which has as a base the Systemic Functional Linguistics of Halliday and Matthiessen (2004), Eggins (1994) among others, offers a theoretical framework for the characterization of the genre through the identification of stages and phases configuring its typology the individual schematic structure and its topology its relation to other phenomena in the oral tradition. Other groupings were mapped of the ‗Macrogenre , from the model of Martin and Rose (2008) as a continuum on two axis: between the poles of how the genre circulates orally x in writing, and recited/individually x staged/collectively; as well as mapping the samples with relation to power using the same model, but with the poles of individual voice x collective voice on an axis between increased power and diminished power. Eleven texts described as Narratives and one Anecdote were selected for the analysis of Attitudes, and Negotiations of power. Through the quantification of semantic discursive resources in the discourse systems of Appraisal (MARTIN; WHITE, 2005) and of Negotiation (MARTIN; ROSE, 2007), as well as reflections about humor (EGGINS; SLADE, 1997) we identified the Attitudes and the Negotiations of interpersonal roles. The quantification is based on the theories of Corpus Linguistics (BERBER SARDINHA, 2010), using WordSmith Tools 5.0 (SCOTT, 2010). Our results show that the Drama-of-Rio-Grande-do-Norte is characterized as a Macrogenre in the Community of Oral Stories, in the Family of Street Theatre/Games, composed of five genre types: Narratives, Praise, Complaints, Anecdotes, and Exemplum. The Macrogenre is characterized by its being circulated orally, staged collectively and the texts analyzed configure in differing degrees of power between men and woman. In synthesis we observe that through humor, the Drama-of-Rio-Grande-do-Norte functions to offer a space for women to voice, comment, judge and orient about social conditions in their communities, such as alcoholism, domestic violence, inequalities before the law etc., as well as circulating positive appreciations of rural/coastal culture and judgments about the behavior of members of the speech community, the role of women being to establish and reinforce norms. We anticipate possible benefits of the addition of the genre analyzed in literacy projects in the schools of Rio Grande do Norte

Utilização de um ambiente virtual de aprendizagem: um estudo na perspectiva da prática docente

Advances related to information technology are visible and inherent to the management of contemporary organizations, regardless of industrial action. Synchronized with this dynamic, educational institutions are incorporating technological tools that assist its management and academic support to teachers in teaching and interaction with the students. Given that technological innovations are not always taken homogeneously and with the same degree of coverage, remain current and relevant studies on how these technologies are being used in academia. The objective of this research is to identify the usage profile of the functionality of a virtual learning environment related to teaching (undergraduate or postgraduate), demographic variables (age and gender) and institutional (time of admission and academic center of origin.) The methodology applied to the study is descriptive and quantitative. The research is characterized as census, covering all 2152 teachers of undergraduate and graduate students of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, who accessed the virtual classes of the Integrated Management of Academic Activities. The study findings revealed that there is a statistically significant difference regarding the use of these tools to teachers who work with undergraduate (49.3%) compared to graduate (6.6%). Regarding gender, women (40.1%) use the system more than men (38.5%). It was also observed that the younger teachers, aged 37 years, are the most active users (42.5%) of the Virtual Class with respect to their elders. For teachers with up to three years time of admission to the UFRN, the pattern of use is more advanced than those with more seniority, as well as the faculty of the Center for Science and Technology are the least likely to use the tools available in relation to other academic centers. It is hoped that with this study managers can direct actions to improve and expand the use of this environment by teachers

GÊNERO E RELAÇÕES DE PODER NO PENTECOSTALISMO: ESTUDO COMPARATIVO ENTRE A IGREJA DE CRISTO NO BRASIL E A COMUNIDADE EVANGÉLICA SARA NOSSA TERRA

Based on the empirical comparative study between two churches from Pentecostal guidance - both located in Parnamirim/RN - and supported on a dialogic interaction between my interlocutors and theoretical references, I proposed me to reflect about how this protestant segment represents and articulates questions such as gender and power relationships, and the daily impact of that in their followers life. In other words, this dissertation aims to understand the reason of the asymmetry attributed to male and female, especially in what concerns the distribution of ecclesiastic works and the authority given to male, as well as the implication of this reality in the reconfiguration of morality and religious praxis in daily life of individuals and involved groups. From this perspective, this work was divided in three chapters, in which I investigate the tension/relationship between faith and secularism, for from this question on concessions and/or prohibitions related to the limits and involvement of the followers with the world and with the very Pentecostal ethos arise. I also analyze here aspects concerning to both ecclesiastic hierarchy and power, with the objective of elucidating how it occurs, what kind of criteria and implications they consider as well as about the nature of the religious labor division between men and women and, finally, I try to understand how the conversion/adhesion of members is reflected in the redefinitions of gender and its relationship between the ecclesiastical and domestic spaces. The diligence and energy spent in this work is in the hope that its fruits can corroborate in the expansion of anthropological knowledge which, in this particular case, involves the Brazilian Pentecostal phenomenon

O tratamento ortodôntico em uma perspectiva a longo prazo: avaliação da estabilidade oclusal e do grau de satisfação dos pacientes

This study aimed to evaluate factors associated to orthodontic treatment stability and patient satisfaction in the long-term. A total of 209 patients (88 class I and 121 class II) treated with straight wire fixed appliance were selected at least 5 years post treatment. Six hundred twenty seven dental casts were examined with the PAR Index at pretreatment (T1), end of treatment (T2), and at long-term follow up (T3, mean 8.5 years post treatment). At T3, a Dental Impact on Daily Living questionnaire was used to assess patient satisfaction with the dentition in the long-term. Friedman test and multiple regression analysis were used to evaluate changes among the time points and factors associated with stability and patient satisfaction. Predictive factors used to exam the occlusion were: PAR Index at T1 and T2, age at T1, the amount of time without retainer, length of Hawley retainer wear, length of follow-up, sex, extraction and third molar status. To assess patient satisfaction were considered: changes produced by the orthodontic treatment (PAR T2-T1), post treatment stability (PAR T3), age at the start of treatment (T1), length of treatment (T2-T1), gender, and extraction. Orthodontic treatment produced a significant improvement of 94.2% in the PAR Index (T2-T1), but this change was not associated with the level of satisfaction when the patient was questioned at T3. No significant change was observed between T2 and T3. However, when the sample was divided according to the level of finalization (PAR T2), it was observed that well-finished patients experienced some deterioration (P<.001), whereas the less well-finished ones showed some improvement (P<.05). Even with the deterioration, the well-finished patients still had a better PAR Index at T3 compared to the less well-finished ones (PAR T2- T3). Regression analysis showed that PAR Index at T1 and T2, age at T1, and length of retainer wear had a slight association with occlusal stability (R2 = 0.27). Patient satisfaction was significantly associated only with PAR Index at T3 (r2=0.125, P<.0001). We can conclude that, even thought orthodontic treatment is quite stable, not so well-finished treatments tend to show some improvement and well-finished ones deteriorate some in the long-term. Despite of that, well-finished patients still have better occlusal characteristics. Patient satisfaction is not related to the result of orthodontic treatment; nevertheless, there is a slight association with dentition in the long-term

O gênero blog: ação social e multimodalidade.

Studies about discursive genres peak at a necessity to understand how these genres work in a society that is more and more submissive to the technology of informatics such as ours. In acknowledging that the virtual context of the Internet provides the manifestation and development of new genres of the discourse, we perceived that the online journal, or blog, as commonly known, is responsible for a variety of linguistic phenomena that would normally take severaI years to consolidate. Since its appearance in 1997 blogs rush as a virtual version of the personal diary and in a short time due to communicative demands suffers several changes, making new categories of blog genres emerge. Facing such phenomena, this work intends at first to characterize blogs as a genre that exercises a social action, evidencing its formal, structural and pragmatic characteristics from the notion of recurrence and rhetoric in a discursive-semiotic perspective. The methodological postulates adopted by this research are considered of qualitative basis in the sense that they are not restricted to looking at the discursive events as a product, but mainly they take into consideration a group of situational, cultural and ideologic factors that are present in the constitution of genre.

A (não) assunção da responsabilidade enunciativa no gênero acadêmico artigo científico produzido por alunos do curso de Letras

This research is inserted in Textual Analysis of Discourses (from now on, TAD), elaborated by linguist J-M Adam and developed nowadays by scholars from Brazilian textual linguistic. ATD consists of a theoretical and descriptive perspective from Textual Linguistics that is concerned about a theoretical and methodological position which sets Textual Linguistics in the most extensive Discourse Analysis panorama. In this work, on the enunciative level of text we investigate: the enunciative responsibility (ADAM, 2008) in 14 examples of the academic genre paper published in the journal Ao Pé da Letra and written by university students from degree in Language. The research is oriented by the studies about enunciative responsibility by Adam (2008, 2010), Rabatel (2010), Guentchéva (1994), the perspective of discursive heterogeneity by Authier-Revuz (2004). We established as general objective: (1) Analyzing the occurrence of the (not) assumption of enunciative responsibility in the academic genre paper . The analysis followed the qualitative paradigm on an interpretative basis. The conclusions show, therefore, the excerpts of the discursive genre used to present the analysis reveal a particular nature of using the recourse to the discourse of several knowledge sources that many times can (not) be assumed by the enunciator.

O gênero joke em atividades de inglês: uma proposta intercultural de ensino-aprendizagem para o ensino médio

Our research has arisen from the interest of aligning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom practice to current discussions in the ambit of learning and teaching Foreign Languages (FLs). Because of the need to integrate the linguistic development to the development of notions clung to the practice of citizenship, we have adopted a cultural perspective. We have noticed jokes as a fertile ground for discussing cultural aspects in classroom. Considering such factors, our research question is: how to explore cultural aspects in jokes for the elaboration of EFL activities which aim for the development of intercultural competence and interaction? Therefore, our general goal is to explore cultural aspects in jokes for the elaboration of EFL teaching and learning activities and our specific goals are: (I) to study official suggestions (LDB, 1996; PCNEM, 2000; PCN+EM, 2002; OCEM, 2006) regarding culture at foreign languages teaching and learning, (II) to select 05 (five) jokes and analyze them focusing on their cultural aspects, (III) to identify possible interpretations for jokes; (IV) to elaborate EFL activities which grant a privilege to jokes cultural aspects. This investigation is descriptive and documental and relies on qualitative paradigm (CHIZZOTTI, 2010; FLICK, 2009; CHAROUX, 2006; BOGDAN; BIKLEN, 1994; 1992). The corpus is constituted by jokes taken from Internet sites and by official documents (LDB, 1996; PCNEM, 1998; PCN+EM, 2000; OCEM, 2006). For the elaboration of activities we have chosen a weaker version of Content-based instruction (CBI), in which contents are cultural aspects in jokes and we have undertaken a reflection on methods, approaches and perspectives, among which there are notions about post-method and CBI, which talk to EFL learning and teaching. For theoretical support we have some discussions about FL methods and approaches (BELL, 2003; KUMARAVADIVELU, 2003; WESCHE; SKEHAN, 2002; PRABHU, 1990), a cultural perspective (KRAMSCH, 1998, 1996, 1993; BYRAM; FENG, 2004), some works in Linguistics about jokes (POSSENTI, 2010, 1998; CHIARO, 1992); notions about implicit (MAINGUENEAU, 2004, 1996; CHARAUDEAU; MAINGUENEAU, 2012) and about ambiguity (KEMPSON, 1977; CHARAUDEAU; MAINGUENEAU, 2012; TRASK, 2011), having the adoption of such categories emerged from the analyzes of some jokes

Projetos de letramento na educação de jovens e adultos: o ensino da escrita em uma perspectiva emancipatória

This ethnographical research-action is included in the Applied Linguistics area and its study object is related to literacy projects (KLEIMAN, 2000), since they bring a new sense to the literacy practices in school and emphasizes the agentive writing character and the role of the discursive genres in the formation of literacy agents who aim at the action and the social change. Considering the emancipatory potential that these didactic organizations have in the civic literacy of those who live in social risk and vulnerability situations our aim in this investigation is: to reflect about the role of the redefinition of the literacy school practices and investigate how the action of teachers and students as literacy agents occur. The specific aims are: to promote literacy events which encourage the writing practice for the action and social change; to comprehend how the identity construction of the literacy student-agent occurs by the reflection of its agency process in the literacy projects; to identify teaching strategies and procedures which enable the development of emancipatory language practices; to investigate the axiological values constructed by the learners in and about the writing work in literacy projects. Our discussion is based on the language conception supported by Bakhtin (BAKHTIN/VOLOSHINOV, 2000; BAKHTIN, 1990, 2003); in literacy studies (KLEIMAN, 1995; BAYNHAM, 1995; BARTON; HAMILTON; IVANIC, 2000, LAZERE, 2005); on critical studies which defend the idea that the texts are ideological instruments able to give power to the individuals (MCLAREN, 1988, 1991, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001; FREIRE, 1971, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1992, 1996, 2001a, 2001b, 2009; GIROUX, 1983, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1997, 1999, 2003; APPLE, 1989); on the social genre approach inspired by the New Rhetoric (BAZERMAN, 2005, 2006, 2007; MILLER, 1984, 2009). The data were generated between 2006 and 2010 in the Youth and Adult Education (YAE), in public schools in Natal-RN. The research permitted us to deduce, firstly, that the redefinition of the work with discursive genres provide the learner to read and write to act discursively in the social world, earning, thus, empowerment, autonomy and emancipation; secondly, that involving the students in literacy projects goes beyond didactic competence related to specificities and content domain. It is necessary that the teacher is certain about to whom, what, why and how to teach and that he/she gets a reflexive posture, becoming a learner as well; thirdly, that through the literacy practices which were developed, the collaborators of the research have constructed a more conscious and a more critical view in relation to the language and to the world where they live through the social-political writing and they have improved as interventive and politicized citizens

A produção do gênero monografia em discursos de professores e alunos do curso de letras

A current worry in the teaching process at the university these days is text production process and genres produced there, especially those kind of writing that is concerned to course conclusion such as monograph, dissertation and thesis. From this perspective and considering our aims at understanding discursive process involved in the production of monograph genre at the university we want to analyze teachers and students discourses about the productive process of monograph in Letras Course, considering the guide, writing and specific aspects of that genre. To get the aims, we took as background theory the studies by Bakhtin linked to Utterance Linguistics with foundation concepts in Discourse Text Analysis by Adam (2010), and finally the studies developed about text production at college. This way, this work is based on a qualitative research and in data ethnographic procedures, they are: the observation in locus, as well as the application of questionnaires with opened questions to ten students and six teachers from Letras Course. The discourse analysis from the subjects reveal us that: i) the monograph production and the guidance are form of act by language, that need take into account in its development: students free chose as a principle in writing monograph, as well as a wide involvement between the teacher and the student in a sense to turn the writing better, among other aspects; (ii) there is a need to articulate monograph project and the text produced, considering that the guide process comes from a project written before; (iii) there are a number of role to discourses by teachers and students to the function of student and guide teacher, in a way that both can see the same assumptions in teachers and students discourses; (iv) teacher s and students discourses show that they assume the utterance responsibilities by the content of utterances proposed, they also show the voice from methodology guidebooks to monograph texts. So, we conclude that this research has some contributions to teach writing production at the university, especially to monograph in the ending of the courses. It can also be helpful in developing research in this area, mainly at the question about guide final works at college

Avaliação em saúde bucal na perspectiva do usuário: enfoque ao estudo da acessibilidade organizacional

Due to the fact of oral health sector reestructuration within Brazilian public health politics, this work had the object of evaluating, under users point of view, the accessibility to oral health services in Santa Cruz (RN), focusing on the organizational aspect. To achieve this, questionnaires were given to users in their homes, considering the censitary sector. Nine sectors of the urban zone were evaluated, selected by chance, and one from the rural zone, selected by convenience. The sample was composed by 194 users, calculated considering the estimated prevalence of event represented by the indicator I ve never been to the dentist + I ve been to the dentist more than three years ago from the Projeto SB Brasil Report . To complement the results, interviews were made with others actors involved in the process of oral health care: professionals (dentists) and manager (Health Municipal Secretary). From the data obtained it was possible to identify that 12,9% of the population had never visited the dentist, and that the search for the service was not influenced by the users individual and socioeconomics characteristics, excepting the gender. It was verified that 36,1% of the users went to the dentist in less than one year, with the youngests (p<0,05) being among those who went to the dentist more frequently. 63,3% of the interviewed related that they found some kind of difficulty when they search for dentistry services, with the difficulties for schedule, the queues and the long wait among the most cited. It was identified that 43,2% of the users wait three weeks or more for the appointment. It is still pointed out that 71,4% of the interviewed find difficulties to get urgency appointment, the long wait to be attended by the dentist was the most found. 92,9% and 94,1% of the interviewed had never been headed to especialized appointments and complementary exams, respectively. Due to the data founded, it was possible to verify that the accessibility to oral health services in Santa Cruz (RN) is damaged by factors related to the organization of public polices developed, mainly in relation to the working process

Mídia e gênero: análise crítica da violência contra a mulher no telejornalismo

This thesis is consisted of a theoretical and empirical study about the treatment given by media, particularly on telejournalism, to violence against women. It aims to analyze and reflect about the role of media, particularly television, on the process of reproduction of patriarchy system of gender on the context of Brazilian society, from content and narrative news about crimes committed against Andreia Rodrigues and Eliza Samudio. In light of the critical perspective, we seek to apprehend the particularities of patriarchy as a system of domination and subjugation of women, and also reveal the involvement of traditional means of media on reproduction and maintenance of inequality between men and women. To apprehend that reality, we had as guidance a critical social theory, grounded in historical-dialectical materialism which enabled us to apprehend the phenomenon under investigation actually enrolled in a dynamic and contradictory reality. The research had qualitative approach. We appeal to the specialized literature of the area from classical and contemporary authors. We conducted a content analysis of categorized matters, and interviews with individuals involved in issues of gender and / or communication. The critical examination of the matters indicated that television journalism is permeated by the contradictions inherent in social life, means that states and restates the ideology of ruling classes, their values and worldviews, but also express conflicts and social demands. The study revealed that prevails on television playing stereotypes and gender inequalities. We could also see that violence against women gets a sensationalist overblown approach and with no insights on the social relations that determine and base it.

Ecologia e história natural de população Hemidactylus agrius (Squamata: Gekkonidae) em área de Caatinga, com avaliação da distribuição das espécies nativas do gênero no nordeste do Brasil

The genus Hemidactylus Oken, 1817 has cosmopolite distribution, with three species occurring in Brazil, two of them native, H. brasilianus and H. agrius, and one exotic, H. mabouia. Considering the studies about ecology of lizards conducted in the Ecological Station of the Seridó, from 2001 to 2011, this study aimed (1) to re-evaluate the occurrence of the species of Hemidactylus in this ESEC; (2) to analyze ecological and biological aspects of the H. agrius population; and (3) to investigate the current and potential distribution of the native species of the genus in northeastern Brazil, analyzing the suitability of ESEC to this taxon. For the first two objectives, a sampling area consisting of five transects of 200 x 20 m, was inspected in alternating daily shifts for three consecutive days, from August 2012 to August 2013. For the latter objective, occurrence points of H. agrius and H. brasilianus from literature and from the database of Herpetological Collections of the UFRN and the UNICAMP were consulted to build predictive maps via the Maximum Entropy algorithm (MaxEnt). In ESEC Seridó, 62 H. agrius individuals were collected (25 females, 18 males and 19 juveniles), and two neonates were obtained from a communal nest incubated in the laboratory. No record was made for the other two species of the genus. Hemidactylus agrius demonstrated to be a nocturnal species specialized in habitats with rocky outcrops; but this species is generalist regarding microhabitat use. In the population studied, females had an average body length greater than males, and showed higher frequencies of caudal autotomy. Regarding diet, H. agrius is a moderately generalist species that consumes arthropods, especially insect larvae, Isoptera and Araneae; and vertebrates, with a case of cannibalism registered in the population. With respect to seasonal differences, only the number of food items ingested differed between seasons. The diet was similar between sexes, but ontogenetic differences were recorded for the total volume and maximum length of the food items. Significant relationships were found between lizard body/head size measurements and the maximum length of prey consumed. Cases of polydactyly and tail bifurcation were recorded in the population, with frequencies of 1.6% and 3.1%, respectively. In relation xv to the occurrence points of the native species, 27 were identified, 14 for H. agrius and 13 for H. brasilianus. The first species presented restricted distribution, while the second showed a wide distribution. In both models generated, the ESEC Seridó area showed medium to high suitability. The results of this study confirm the absence of H. brasilianus and H. mabouia this ESEC, and reveal H. agrius as a dietary opportunist and cannibal species. Further, the results confirm the distribution patterns shown by native species of Hemidactylus, and point ESEC Seridó as an area of probable occurrence for the species of the genus, the establishing of H. brasilianus and H. mabouia are probably limited by biotic factors, a fact yet little understood