Psittacula
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more than 15, see text |
Members of the parrot genus Psittacula or Afro-Asian Ringnecked parakeets as they are commonly known in aviculture originates found from Africa to South-East Asia. It is a widespread group, with a clear concentration of species in south Asia, but also with representatives in Africa and the islands of the Indian Ocean. This is the only genus of Parrot which has majority of its species in continental Asia. Of all the extant species only Psittacula calthropae, Psittacula caniceps and Psittacula echo do not have a representative subspecies in any part of mainland continental Asia. The Rose-ringed Parakeet, Psittacula krameri, is one of the most widely distributed of all parrots.
The other two Asian genera, Loriculus and Psittinus are represented by only two and one species respectively, which occur in the mainland part of Asia. The majority of the Loriculus species occur on islands. Moreover since Loriculus is spread across both sides of the Wallace Line it can be considered more Australasian than Asian.
These parrots are mostly green plumaged, with adults having coloured heads. The bill is stout, and the tail is long and strongly graduated.
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[edit] Species and phylogeny
- Newton's Parakeet, Psittacula exsul - extinct (c.1875)
- Réunion Parakeet, Psittacula (eques) eques - extinct (mid-18th century)
- Mauritius Parakeet, Psittacula (eques) echo
- Rose-ringed Parakeet, Psittacula krameri
- Alexandrine Parakeet, Psittacula eupatria
- Seychelles Parakeet, Psittacula wardi - extinct (1883)
- Plum-headed Parakeet, Psittacula cyanocephala
- Blossom-headed Parakeet, Psittacula roseata
- Slaty-headed Parakeet, Psittacula himalayana
- Grey-headed Parakeet, Psittacula finschii
- Malabar Parakeet, Psittacula columboides
- Layard's Parakeet, Psittacula calthropae
- Derbyan Parakeet, Psittacula derbiana
- Red-breasted Parakeet, Psittacula alexandri
- Long-tailed Parakeet, Psittacula longicauda
- Nicobar Parakeet, Psittacula caniceps
The Rothschild's or Intermediate Parakeet P. intermedia, found in northern India, was considered something of a mystery, as only very few specimens were known. It has finally been demonstrated to be a natural hybrid between the Slaty-headed Parakeet P. himalayana and the Plum-headed Parakeet P. cyanocephala [2][3].
[edit] Trivia
- Though India has eleven species of Psittacula it has not yet issued a stamp depicting any of them.
- The Alexandrine Parakeet, the largest of all 'true parakeets' (i.e. where Parakeet is a non-species' specific qualitative word meaning LONG-tailed Parrot)
- Sierra Leone is the only nation to have a stamp depicting the Malabar Parakeet, a restricted range endemic species confined to South-west India.
[edit] References
- ^ Groombridge, Jim J. et al. (2004): Molecular phylogeny and morphological change in the Psittacula parakeets. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 31(1):96-108. [1]
- ^ Rasmussen, Pamela C. & Nigel J. Collar (1999a): On the hybrid status of Rothschild's Parakeet Psittacula intermedia (Aves, Psittacidae). Bulletin of the Natural History Museum of London (Zoology) 65(1):31–50.
- ^ Rasmussen, Pamela C. & Nigel J. Collar (1999b): Little-known Oriental non-bird: Intermediate Parakeet, Psittacula intermedia. Bulletin of the Oriental Bird Club 29:36.
[edit] External links
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