Psittacula

Taxobox
name = "Psittacula"


image_width = 225px
image_caption = Rose-ringed Parakeet
("Psittacula krameri manillensis")
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Psittaciformes
familia = Psittacidae
subfamilia = Psittacinae
tribus = Psittaculini
genus = "Psittacula"
genus_authority = Cuvier, 1800
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = 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 graduated.

pecies 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" (also called Moustached Parakeet)
*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" [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.] .

Trivia

# Though India has eleven species of "Psittacula" it has not yet issued a stamp depicting any of them.Fact|date=September 2008
# The Alexandrine Parakeet, the largest of all 'true parakeets' (i.e. where Parakeet is a non-species' specific qualitative word meaning LONG-tailed Parrot)Fact|date=September 2008
# Sierra Leone is the only nation to have a stamp depicting the Malabar Parakeet, a restricted range endemic species confined to South-west India.Fact|date=September 2008

References

External links

* [http://home.wanadoo.nl/psittaculaworld/PsittaculaWorld.htm Psittacula World]
* [http://www.birdtheme.org/scripts/family.php?famnum=74 Stamps featuring Parrots including "Psittacula"]
* [http://www.edelsittich.de/ Images and German Descriptions]