The Cape parrot (Poicephalus robustus) should be elevated to the species level, says a team of scientists at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.
This is a male Cape parrot (Poicephalus robustus). Image credit: Cyril Laubscher.
The Cape parrot, also known as Levaillant’s parrot, is currently considered a Poicephalus robustus subspecies, along with Poicephalus robustus fuscicollis and Poicephalus robustus suahelicus.
But some scientists suggest that the bird should be viewed as a distinct species separate from the other two Poicephalus robustus subspecies. These recommendations are based on morphological, ecological, and behavioral assessments.
In a new study, Dr Sandi Willows-Munro from the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s School of Life Sciences and co-authors investigated these recommendations using DNA analyses.
The scientists genotyped over 130 specimens from five Poicephalus species (P. cryptoxanthus, P. gulielmi, P. meyeri, P. robustus, and P. rueppellii) and sequenced two mitochondrial and one nuclear intron marker.
Their data analysis identified the Cape parrot as genetically distinct from the other Poicephalus robustus subspecies.
Distribution map of the Poicephalus species (and Poicephalus robustus subspecies) included in the study. Image credit: Perrin / Cyril Laubscher.
Molecular clock analysis places the most recent common ancestor between the Cape parrot and Poicephalus robustus fuscicollis / Poicephalus robustus suahelicus at 2.13 to 2.67 million years ago.
“Our results support previous recommendations to elevate the Cape parrot to species level, which may facilitate better planning and implementation of international and local conservation management strategies for the Cape Parrot,” Dr Willows-Munro and co-authors said.
The results were published online August 12 in the journal PLoS ONE.
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Coetzer WG et al. 2015. Molecular Systematics of the Cape Parrot (Poicephalus robustus): Implications for Taxonomy and Conservation. PLoS ONE 10 (8): e0133376; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133376
