Broad-tailed parrot

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Platycercinae
Red-rumped Parrots.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae
Subfamily: Psittacinae
Tribe: Platycercini
Genera

Prosopeia
Eunymphicus
Cyanoramphus
Platycercus
Barnardius
Purpureicephalus
Lathamus
Northiella
Psephotus
Neopsephotus
Neophema
Melopsittacus
Pezoporus

A broad-tailed parrot is any of about 35-40 species belonging to the tribe Platycercini, sometimes considered a subfamily (Platycercinae). The members of the subfamily are small to medium in size, and all are native to Australasia, Australia in particular, but also New Zealand, New Caledonia, and nearby islands.

Current opinion is apparently starting to lean towards treatment as a subfamily. mtDNA sequence data suggests that the broad-tailed parrots form a distinct lineage as ancient as the cockatoos, lories and lorikeets. In addition, the genus Polytelis (and conceivably Alisterus and Aprosmictus also) might belong here too.[1]

If the group is treated as a subfamily, the last genera Neopsephotus/Neophema (and possibly including Psephotus and relatives), Melopsittacus and Pezoporus are usually considered to form a distinct tribe from the rest, the Neophemini. It appears as if they do at least form a distinct clade.[1]

TRIBE PLATYCERCINI

  • Genus Barnardius - sometimes included in Platycercus
    • Australian Ringneck, Barnardius barnardius (Mallee's Australian-Ringneck Parakeet and it's Cloncurry's ssp.) Barnardius zonarius (Port-Lincoln's Australian-Ringnecked Parakeet and it's Twenty-Eight ssp.)
  • Genus Northiella - often included in Psephotus
  • Genus Melopsittacus
  • Genus Neopsephotus - sometimes included in Neophema

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Miyaki, C. Y.; Matioli, S. R.; Burke, T. & Wajntal, A. (1998). "Parrot evolution and paleogeographical events: Mitochondrial DNA evidence". Molecular Biology and Evolution 15 (5): 544-551. 
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