Neophema

Neophema
Turquoise parrot, female
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittaculidae
Tribe: Pezoporini
Genus: Neophema
Salvadori, 1891
Type species
Psittacus pulchellus[1]
Shaw, 1792
Species

6 or 7; see text

Synonyms
  • Euphema

The genus Neophema is an Australian genus with six or seven species. They are small, dull green parrots differentiated by patches of other colours, and are commonly known as grass parrots. The genus has some sexual dichromatism, with males having brighter hues.

Taxonomy

Sometimes the broad-tailed parrots are considered a subfamily. In this case, Neophema and Bourke's parrot are united in the tribe Neophemini. mtDNA sequence data (Miyaki et al. 1998) suggests that the former may be correct, but the latter almost certainly is not. Rather, it appears, the group would need to include more closely related forms, such as the budgerigar and the Pezoporus ground-parrots. However, while Joseph et al. (2011) also found Neophema to be related both Bourke's parrot and ground-parrots and form part of the tribe Pezoporini, they are not related to the budgerigar.

Analysis of mitochondrial DNA published in 2021 indicated the ancestors of Bourke's parrot and the remaining Neophema parrots most likely diverged between 6.4 and 8 million years ago; the Neophema lineage diverged again, with one giving rise to the turquoise and scarlet-chested parrots, and the other to the four remaining species. Of these four, the ancestor of the orange-bellied parrot diverged next, then the elegant parrot, leaving the blue-winged and rock parrot as each other's closest relatives.[2]

Species

There are 6 or 7 species:

Depending on the author, Neopsephotus bourkii (Bourke's parrot) may also be considered a member of this genus.

Aviculture

The scarlet-chested parrot, turquoise parrot and elegant parrot are all commonly raised and bred in captivity with a number of unusual colour forms arising. The members of this genus are not altogether easy to keep, being tender birds that may die without apparent cause, succumbing to mobbing by more robust aviary mates or diseases. This has hampered captive propagation efforts, e.g. in the case of the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot.

They are certainly not "beginner's birds" and will usually not thrive if they are not provided with a spacious aviary where a small flock can be kept in company of a few other small and harmless birds. It is possible to keep a pair or a single bird in a cage, but they will be sluggish and unhealthy if they are not let out to fly and socialize with humans frequently. Trade in wild-caught specimens is strongly restricted; in any case, these should be rejected because they are extremely tough to accustomize to aviary conditions. It is usually impossible, even for expert aviculturalists, to keep wild-caught birds alive for more than a few months. Captive-bred birds of several species are available, and these are far more hardy, though inexperienced aviculturalists should avoid them nonetheless.

Popular in Australia and internationally, Neophema are sometimes referred to as 'grass parakeets' in avicultural literature. The most easily bred are Bourke's parrot (as Neophema), the scarlet-chested parrot (N. splendida), the turquoise parrot (N. pulchella), and the elegant parrot (N. elegans). The most difficult and uncommon captive is the rock parrot (N. petrophila). Aside from Bourke's parrot, all are distinguished as predominantly green birds. The orange-bellied parrot has not been commercially available due to rarity and legal restriction.[3]

Etymology

The genus name comes from νέος (new) and Euphema (the original, now synonimised name for this genus

References

Cited sources

  1. ^ "Psittaculidae". The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-07-24.
  2. ^ Hogg, Carolyn J.; Morrison, Caitlin; Dudley, Jessica S.; Alquezar-Planas, David E.; Beasley-Hall, Perry G.; Magrath, Michael J. L.; Ho, Simon Y. W.; Lo, Nathan; Johnson, Rebecca N.; Grueber, Catherine E. (2021). "Using phylogenetics to explore interspecies genetic rescue options for a critically endangered parrot". Conservation Science and Practice. 3 (9). Bibcode:2021ConSP...3E.483H. doi:10.1111/csp2.483. S2CID 237886232.
  3. ^ Shephard, Mark (1989). Aviculture in Australia: Keeping and Breeding Aviary Birds. Prahran, Victoria: Black Cockatoo Press. p. 66. ISBN 978-0-9588106-0-9.

Bibliography

  • Wikimedia Commons logo Media related to Neophema at Wikimedia Commons
  • Wikispecies logo Data related to Neophema at Wikispecies

Content Disclaimer

Informasi ini disarikan dari Wikipedia dan disajikan kembali untuk tujuan edukasi. Konten tersedia di bawah lisensi CC BY-SA 3.0. Kami tidak bertanggung jawab atas ketidakakuratan data yang bersumber dari kontribusi publik tersebut.

  1. The information displayed on this website is sourced in part or in whole from Wikipedia and has been adapted for the purpose of restating it. We strive to provide accurate and relevant information, however:
  2. There is no guarantee of absolute accuracy. Wikipedia is an open, collaborative project that can be edited by anyone, so information is subject to change.
  3. It is not intended to constitute professional advice. The content displayed is for informational and educational purposes only. For important decisions (e.g., medical, legal, or financial), please consult a professional.
  4. Content copyright. Wikipedia is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License (CC BY-SA). This means that content may be reused with appropriate attribution and shared under a similar license.
  5. Responsible use. Any risk arising from the use of information from this website is entirely the responsibility of the user.