GUATOAN, an independent linguistic stock of South Ameri can Indians, made up of the single tribe of the Guatos. The small surviving remnant of the Guatos live on the Bolivian-Brazilian border, along the upper Paraguay river, chiefly about lakes Gaiba and Uberaba. It is probable that formerly they held a larger area. The Guatos are pre-eminently river folk, living most of their life in their dugout canoes. They erect small temporary thatched shel ters, occupied by a single family and always isolated rather than grouped in villages. Their dress consists of a breech-clout and short kilt. Their weapons are the bow and spear, and they live mainly on the products of the chase and on fish.
See M. Schmidt, Indianer Studien in (19°5).