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The family Psittacidae or holotropical parrots is one of three families of true parrots. It comprises the 12 species of subfamily Psittacinae (the Afrotropical parrots) and 167 of subfamily Arinae (the New World or Neotropical parrots ) including several species that have gone extinct in recent centuries.
Parrotfish are named for their dentition, [5] which is distinct from other fish, including other labrids.Their numerous teeth are arranged in a tightly packed mosaic on the external surface of their jaw bones, forming a parrot-like beak with which they rasp algae from coral and other rocky substrates [6] (which contributes to the process of bioerosion).
The genus name Psittacula is a diminutive of the Latin word psittacus meaning "parrot", and the specific name eupatria (εὖπατριά) is derived from the ancient Greek eu-meaning "well" and patriá meaning "descent". [10] [11] [12] In 2019, a genetic study revived the genus Palaeornis, formerly viewed as a synonym of the current genus ...
Parrots have featured in human writings, story, art, humor, religion, and music for thousands of years, such as Aesop's fable "The parrot and the cat", [127] the mention "The parrot can speak, and yet is nothing more than a bird" in The Book of Rites of Ancient China, [128] the Masnavi by Rumi of Persia in 1250 "The Merchant and the Parrot". [129]
The true parrots are distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, covering many different habitats, from the humid tropical forests to deserts in Australia, India, Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, Central and South America, and two species, one extinct (the Carolina parakeet), formerly in the United States.
Some evolved as swimming hunters, like the Hesperornithiformes – a group of flightless divers resembling grebes and loons. While modern in most respects, most of these birds retained typical reptilian-like teeth and sharp claws on the manus. The modern toothless birds evolved from the toothed ancestors in the Cretaceous. [12]
Major groups of fish evolved during this period, often referred to as the age of fish. [39] See Category:Devonian fish. D e v o n i a n: Early Devonian: Early Devonian (419–393 Ma): Psarolepis: Psarolepis (speckled scale) is a genus of extinct lobe-finned fish that lived around 397 to 418 Ma.
The neotropical parrots or New World parrots comprise about 150 species in 32 genera found throughout South and Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean islands and the southern United States. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] Among them are some of the most familiar and iconic parrots, including the blue and gold macaw , sun conure , and yellow-headed amazon .