Pygmy parrot
Pygmy parrot | |
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M. pusio | |
Scientific classification![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Psittaciformes |
Family: | Psittaculidae |
Subfamily: | Psittaculinae |
Genus: | Micropsitta Lesson,1831 |
Species | |
Micropsitta pusio |
Pygmy parrotsare the smallest members of theparrotorder. The sixspeciesof pygmy parrots are all in the genusMicropsitta,which is the only genus in theMicropsittinitribe.[1]
Pygmy parrots are native to the forests ofNew Guineaand nearby islands. They are tinybirds,fast-moving, and mostly green with bright highlights. A pygmy parrot spends a good deal of time climbing through foliage, using its large feet and beak, and stiffened tailfeathers.At a little over 8 cm (3.1 in) long, thebuff-faced pygmy parrotis the smallest parrot species.
Pygmy parrots are also among the few species in the order (other examples includePyriliaandNannopsittacaspecies) that have never been successfully kept, let alone bred, in captivity. All attempts to do so have resulted in the quick deaths of the little birds. Stress and dietary deficiencies are probably to blame.[2]Pygmy parrots are among the few birds that feed onfungiandlichens,which play a major role in their diet.[3]Their precise dietary needs are poorly understood.[citation needed]
Description
[edit]Pygmy parrots are the smallest parrots and range is size from about 8 to 10 cm (3.1 to 3.9 in). They have long toes and long, curved claws. The shafts of their tail feathers are stiff and form projections at the end of the tail. The cere is prominent. The external appearance of the adult males and adult females differ to varying extents in different species. Juveniles are duller.[4]
Taxonomy
[edit]The genus was defined by French naturalistRené-Primevère Lessonin 1831. The nameMicropsittais derived from theGreekmikrosmeaning small andpsittafor parrot.[5]
The pygmy parrots consist of six species and several subspecies:[6]
Genus:MicropsittaLesson 1831(pygmy parrots)
- M. bruijnii(Salvadori 1875),Red-breasted pygmy parrot
- M. b. bruijnii(Salvadori 1875)
- M. b. buruensisArndt 1999
- M. b. necopinataHartert1925
- M. b. pileataMayr 1940
- M. b. roseaMayr 1940
- M. finschii(Ramsay, EP 1881),Finsch's pygmy parrot
- M. f. aolae(Ogilvie-Grant 1888)
- M. f. finschii(Ramsay, EP 1881)
- M. f. nanina(Tristram 1891)
- M. f. tristrami(Rothschild&Hartert1902)
- M. f. viridifrons(Rothschild&Hartert1899)
- M. geelvinkiana(Schlegel 1871),Geelvink pygmy parrot
- M. g. geelvinkiana(Schlegel 1871)
- M. g. misoriensis(Salvadori 1876)
- M. keiensis(Salvadori 1876),Yellow-capped pygmy parrot
- M. k. chloroxanthaOberholser 1917
- M. k. keiensis(Salvadori 1876)
- M. k. viridipectus(Rothschild1911)
- M. meekiRothschild&Hartert1914,Meek's pygmy parrot
- M. m. meekiRothschild&Hartert1914
- M. m. proximaRothschild&Hartert1924
- M. pusio(Sclater, PL 1866),Buff-faced pygmy parrot
- M. p. beccarii(Salvadori 1876)
- M. p. hartertiMayr 1940
- M. p. pusio(Sclater, PL 1866)
- M. p. stresemanniHartert1926
References
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Wikispecies-logo.svg/34px-Wikispecies-logo.svg.png)
- ^Joseph L., Alicia Toon, Erin E. Schirtzinger, Timothy F. Wright, Richard Schodde,A revised nomenclature and classification for family-group taxa of parrots (Psittaciformes) (PDF)Archived2013-12-11 at theWayback Machine,in Zootaxa, vol. 3205, 2012, pp. 26–40.
- ^Arndt, T. (1997).Lexicon of Parrots.Arndt Verlag.ISBN3-9805291-1-8
- ^Juniper, T., & M. Parr (1998).A Guide to the Parrots of the World.Pica Press, East Sussex.ISBN1-873403-40-2
- ^Forshaw, Joseph M.(2006).Parrots of the World; an Identification Guide.Illustrated by Frank Knight.Princeton University Press.plates 24–25.ISBN0-691-09251-6.
- ^Liddell, Henry GeorgeandRobert Scott(1980).A Greek-English Lexicon(Abridged Edition).United Kingdom:Oxford University Press.ISBN0-19-910207-4.
- ^"Zoological Nomenclature Resource: Psittaciformes (Version 9.024)".www.zoonomen.net. 2009-05-30.