Publishing LtdPhylogeny and biogeography of Yellow-headed andBlue-fronted Parrots (Amazona ochrocephalaandAmazona aestiva) with special reference to theSouth American taxa

The Yellow-headed Parrot (Amazona ochrocephala) has a broad Neotropical distribution,ranging from Mexico to the Amazon Basin, and a history of complex taxonomy and controversialspecies limits. Recent molecular analyses have started to clarify the taxonomicarrangement of the complex, but have not included a representative geographical samplingfrom South America. These studies have shown that the Yellow-headed complex can bedivided into three main lineages, and seems to be paraphyletic, due to the inclusion of theBlue-fronted Parrot (Amazona aestiva) that occurs in central South America. Here wepresent a phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial DNA sequences of 45 representativesof the Yellow-headed complex from South and Central America, plus 13 Blue-frontedindividuals from different localities in South America

C. C. Ribaset al., Ibis (2007), doi: 10.1111/j.1474-919x.2007.00681.x