Tag Archives: Amazona sp.

Amazona vittata ssp. ‘Antigua’

Antigua Amazon (Amazona vittata ssp.)

This form is known from at least two subfossil bones recovered from archaeological sites on the island of Antigua, which were identified as being identical to the Puerto Rican Amazon (Amazona vittata (Boddaert)).

It is of course possible that the species was brought to the island by early human settlers, which apparently have always hunted parrots for food but have also kept them as pets and transported them from one place to another. The neighboring island of Barbuda, however, is known to once have harbored a native population of this species or maybe a very closely related one, so it is likely that the same form, or rather a subspecies of it inhabited Antigua as well. [1]

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References:

[1] Charles A. Woods; Florence E. Sergile: Biogeography of the West Indies: Patterns and Perspectives, Second Edition. CRC Press; Auflage: Subsequent 2001

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edited: 13.02.2020

Amazona sp. ‘Turks Islands’

Turks and Caicos Amazon (Amazona sp.)

This form is known from at least two subfossil remains, a palatine and a scapula, that were excavated from the Coralie archaeological site on the island of Grand Turk, Turcs an Caicos Islands in the Lesser Antilles.

The species was sympatric with the Cuban Amazon, probably of the Bahamian subspecies (Amazona leucocephala ssp. bahamensis (H. Bryant)), which is now locally extinct. [1]

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References:

[1] Charles A. Woods; Florence E. Sergile: Biogeography of the West Indies: Patterns and Perspectives, Second Edition. CRC Press; Auflage: Subsequent 2001

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edited: 13.02.2020

Amazona sp. ‘Montserrat’

Montserrat Amazon (Amazona sp.)

The Montserrat Amazon is known only from subfossil remains, a coracoid, a femur, two humeri and an ulna, found at the Trants archaeological site on the island of Montserrat.

The species was the smallest member of its genus found in the Caribbean region so far. [1]

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References:

[1] Charles A. Woods; Florence E. Sergile: Biogeography of the West Indies: Patterns and Perspectives, Second Edition. CRC Press; Auflage: Subsequent 2001

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edited: 13.02.2020

Amazona sp. ‘Grenada’

Grenada Amazon (Amazona sp.)

The Grenada Amazon, to my knowledge, is known exclusively only by a poorly description given by Jean-Baptiste Du Tertre from 1667. [1][2]

The species, if indeed it was one, was apparently extirpated shortly after. 

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References:

[1] Jean-Baptiste Du Tertre: Histoire generale des Antilles habitées par les François.: Divisée en deux tomes, et enrichie de cartes & de figures. A Paris: Chez Thomas Iolly, au palais, en la salle des merciers, à la palme, & aux armes d’Hollande. 1667-1671
[2] Charles A. Woods; Florence E. Sergile: Biogeography of the West Indies: Patterns and Perspectives, Second Edition. CRC Press; Auflage: Subsequent 2001

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edited: 23.04.2019