Taxonomic review of the Pyrrhura picta-leucotis complex (Aves: Psittacidae)

• Grant number: 20/02393-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: August 01, 2020
• End date: November 30, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Luís Fábio Silveira
• Grantee: Raphael Sabongi Lúcio Marcelino
• Host Institution: Museu de Zoologia (MZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The genus Pyrrhura Bonaparte, 1856 is a monophyletic group of small parakeets that occurs in almost all forest formations of the Neotropical region. If on one hand the monophyletism of the genus is well supported by morphological, vocal and molecular characters, the alpha taxonomy of the group presents itself as one of the most complex and challenging amongst all parrots in the New World. Recent taxonomic reviews suggest the existence of 22 species within the genus, but the morphological variation of these taxa is so complex that the limits of polytypic species are often indeterminate and new taxa have been described without a more comprehensive analysis being carried out, with a probable accumulation of names without any taxonomic or evolutionary value. The Pyrrhura picta-leucotis complex is an example of this taxonomic breakdown. Depending on the author, this complex can comprise between seven and 15 species, in addition to a varied number of subspecies. Many of those taxa lack well-defined diagnostic parameters, which generates a profusion of names in the literature. Due to the lack of clarity in the distinction of taxa, and in order to contribute to future studies of systematics and biogeography, this work seeks to describe the morphological variation present in the Pyrrhura picta-leucotis complex based on plumage and morphometry characteristics, defining consistent diagnostic characters for elucidate the group's taxonomy, determining the geographic distribution and conservation status of taxa that prove to be valid.