Yellow-faced Parrot

Taxobox
name = Yellow-faced Parrot


status = NT | status_system = IUCN3.1
trend = down
status_ref = [IUCN2006|assessors=BirdLife International|year=2004|id=1071|title=Amazona xanthops|downloaded=11 May 2006 Database entry includes a range map and a brief justification of why this species is near threatened ]
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Psittaciformes
familia = Psittacidae
subfamilia = Psittacinae
tribus = Arini
genus = "Alipiopsitta"
genus_authority = Caparroz and Pacheco, 2006
species = "A. xanthops"
binomial = "Alipiopsitta xanthops"
binomial_authority = Spix, 1824
synonyms = "Amazona xanthops and Salvatoria xanthops"

The Yellow-faced Parrot ("Alipiopsitta xanthops"), also known as the Yellow-faced Amazon, is the only species of the genus "Alipiopsitta". It is a semi-nomadic species found in the cerrado region of Brazil and adjacent Bolivia. It occurs in small numbers and is declining or has already disappeared in large areas of its former range. [ [http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/search/species_search.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=1676&m=0 BirdLife Species Factsheet] : Yellow-faced Amazon]

Previously, it was placed within the genus "Amazona", but recent research showed that this species is much more closely related to the Short-tailed Parrot ("Graydidascalus brachyurus") and to the members of the genus "Pionus". [Duarte JMB and Caparroz R (1995) Cytotaxonomic analysis of Brazilian species of the genus Amazona (Psittacidae, Aves) and confirmation of the genus Alipiopsitta (Caparroz and Pacheco). Braz J Genet 18:623-628.] Russello, M.A. & Amato, G (2004) A molecular phylogeny of Amazona: implications for Neotropical parrot biogeography, taxonomy, and conservation. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 30: 421-437.] Following this discovery, it was briefly placed in the genus "Salvatoria", until this name was found to be pre-occupied by a group of polychaete worms from the superfamily Nereidoidea, thus leading to the transferral of the Yellow-faced Parrot to the genus "Alipiopsitta".

References

*Caparroz, R. and J.F. Pacheco, 2006: A homonymy in Psittacidae a new name for Salvatoria Miranda-Ribeiro. Ararajuba: Rev. Brasileira de Ornitologia. V. 14, n 2, pp. 91-93.

*Hoppe, D., 2007: Ribeiropapagei – ein neuer Name für die Gelbbauchamazone. Gefiederte Welt, Vol. 131, pp. 173-176 + 210-213.