Pearly parakeet


The pearly parakeet, more commonly known as the pearly conure in aviculture, is a species of parrot that is endemic to east Amazonian forests in Brazil.

Taxonomy

Its taxonomic history is potentially confusing. It was formerly known as Pyrrhura perlata, but following a review it was discovered that the type specimen, long believed to belong to this species, actually was a juvenile of the closely related crimson-bellied parakeet. Consequently, P. perlata was transferred to that species, while the next name in line for the pearly parakeet, P. lepida, became its valid scientific name.
Traditionally, three subspecies of the pearly parakeet have been recognized: Western anerythra, eastern nominate lepida, and far eastern coerulescens. In 2011, a review found that lepida and coerulescens were inseparable. This would usually result in coerulescens being a junior synonym of the older name lepida, but upon closer inspection the type specimen of the latter is a hybrid. This invalidates the name lepida and leaves coerulescens as the valid name for the population east of the Tocantins–Araguaia River, including Marajo Island. In contrast, anerythra is highly distinctive and it has been recommended it should be treated as a separate, monotypic species found between the Xingu River and Tocantins–Araguaia River. There is limited hybridization between coerulescens and anerythra where the two come into contact in the Portel, Pará region.

Status

The pearly parakeet is rated as Vulnerable by the IUCN. While it remains locally fairly common, it has suffered due to extensive habitat destruction, especially in the eastern part of its range where the subspecies coerulescens may be approaching extinction.