Psittacinae
Encyclopedia
The Psittacinae a subfamily in the parrot family
Psittacidae. It contains the true parrots, parakeet
s and macaw
s, but not the lories, lorikeets and cockatoo
s. The relationships between tribe
s are confusing and systematics are in need of thorough revision
Sometimes most tribes are raised to the rank of subfamilies but as the lories and lorikeets are a rather distinct group, the system used here seems at present still better to reflect the evolutionary relationships of these birds. It seems fairly certain by now that some lineages of psittacines will eventually be recognized as distinct subfamilies, and that perhaps the cockatoos would be considered a subfamily also, as some prehistoric families of Psittaciformes appear to be even more distinct than the cockatoos are.
If a multi-subfamily approach is preferred, the Psittacinae are restricted to the African parrots, possibly including some Asian (but not Australian) groups also.
Three monotypic
(probably) genera
from the Mascarenes, all extinct, are especially enigmatic in their relationships. They are geographically closest to the Psittacini, but probably belong to the Psittaculini and originated in South
or Southwest Asia
:
"Psittaculturist"{Parrot Breeder}person who specialize in keeping and breeding and conserving psittacines species, also on preserving psittacines habitat, and public awareness campaigns to save parrots.
Psittaculture is a word that has been used in the Aviculture community since the early 1970s, to denote people who specialize in keeping and breeding and conserving psittacines species, also on preserving psittacines habitat, and public awareness campaigns to save parrots.
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Psittacidae. It contains the true parrots, parakeet
Parakeet
Parakeet is a term for any one of a large number of unrelated small to medium sized species of parrot, that generally have long tail feathers...
s and macaw
Macaw
Macaws are small to large, often colourful New World parrots. Of the many different Psittacidae genera, six are classified as macaws: Ara, Anodorhynchus, Cyanopsitta, Primolius, Orthopsittaca, and Diopsittaca...
s, but not the lories, lorikeets and cockatoo
Cockatoo
A cockatoo is any of the 21 species belonging to the bird family Cacatuidae. Along with the Psittacidae and the Strigopidae , they make up the parrot order Psittaciformes . Placement of the cockatoos as a separate family is fairly undisputed, although many aspects of the other living lineages of...
s. The relationships between tribe
Tribe (biology)
In biology, a tribe is a taxonomic rank between family and genus. It is sometimes subdivided into subtribes.Some examples include the tribes: Canini, Acalypheae, Hominini, Bombini, and Antidesmeae.-See also:* Biological classification* Rank...
s are confusing and systematics are in need of thorough revision
Sometimes most tribes are raised to the rank of subfamilies but as the lories and lorikeets are a rather distinct group, the system used here seems at present still better to reflect the evolutionary relationships of these birds. It seems fairly certain by now that some lineages of psittacines will eventually be recognized as distinct subfamilies, and that perhaps the cockatoos would be considered a subfamily also, as some prehistoric families of Psittaciformes appear to be even more distinct than the cockatoos are.
If a multi-subfamily approach is preferred, the Psittacinae are restricted to the African parrots, possibly including some Asian (but not Australian) groups also.
Three monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
(probably) genera
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
from the Mascarenes, all extinct, are especially enigmatic in their relationships. They are geographically closest to the Psittacini, but probably belong to the Psittaculini and originated in South
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
or Southwest Asia
Southwest Asia
Western Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia...
:
- Mascarene ParrotMascarene ParrotThe Mascarene Parrot is an extinct species of parrot known from bones, specimens and descriptions to have occurred in the Mascarene island of Réunion, and possibly Mauritius. The bird was first described by Dubois in 1674...
, Mascarinus mascarinus - Broad-billed ParrotBroad-billed ParrotThe Broad-billed Parrot was a parrot endemic to the island of Mauritius that became extinct.-Description:...
, Lophopsittacus mauritianus - Mauritius Grey Parrot, Lophopsittacus bensoni (disputed)
- Rodrigues ParrotRodrigues ParrotThe Rodrigues Parrot is an extinct species of parrot which once lived on the Mascarene island of Rodrigues. It is known from subfossil bones and the 1708 description of Leguat as well as the 1726 report of Julien Tafforet...
, Necropsittacus rodericanus - Réunion Red-and-green Parakeet Necropsittacus borbonicus (disputed)
Tribes
- Psittrichadini (Pesquet's Parrot)
- Micropsittini (Pygmy parrots)
- Cyclopsittacini (Fig parrots)
- Platycercini (Broad-tailed parrots)
- PsittaculiniPsittaculiniPsittaculini is a tribe of parrots of the Psittacidae family. The subdivisions within the tribe are controversial.-Tribe Psittaculini:* Genus Psittinus** Blue-rumped Parrot, Psittinus cyanurus* Genus Geoffroyus...
(Asian psittacines) - PsittaciniPsittaciniTribus Psittacini consists of Afrotropical parrots; there are 8 species in 2 genera. Traditionally, the Vasa parrots are also included in this tribe, but that inclusion is not supported by molecular studies. Several of these species have subspecies including the African Grey Parrot which has 2...
(African parrots) - AriniNeotropical parrotThe Neotropical parrots belong to the family of the true parrots Psittacidae. Several species and one of the 32 modern genera have become extinct in recent centuries. Though fairly few fossils of modern parrots are known, most of these are from Arini...
(American psittacines) - polyphyletic?
Captive breeding
Psittaculture comes from The Psittacinae (Latin psittacinus, from psittacus parrot, from Greek psittakosis) It is one branch of the science of Aviculture"Psittaculturist"{Parrot Breeder}person who specialize in keeping and breeding and conserving psittacines species, also on preserving psittacines habitat, and public awareness campaigns to save parrots.
Psittaculture is a word that has been used in the Aviculture community since the early 1970s, to denote people who specialize in keeping and breeding and conserving psittacines species, also on preserving psittacines habitat, and public awareness campaigns to save parrots.