Lophopsittacus Newton, 1875: 349

HUME, JULIAN PENDER, 2007, Reappraisal of the parrots (Aves: Psittacidae) from the Mascarene Islands, with comments on their ecology, morphology, and affinities, Zootaxa 1513 (1), pp. 1-76 : 8

Genus Lophopsittacus Newton, 1875: 349 .

Psittacus (Lophopsittacus) mauritianus ; Newton, 1875a: 349, Type (by original designation).

Etymology: From Greek lophos, crest and psittakos, a parrot, in reference to the distinct feathered crest.

Diagnosis: A monotypic genus with disproportionately large head and jaws, distinct frontal crest of feathers, broad rounded wings and long graduated tail, the two central tail feathers longer than the rest. Cranium dorso-ventrally flattened with distinct dorsal surface ridges confined to the frontal region; fonticuli orbitocra- niales form deep pits and are not connected to the cranial cavity by large openings; in sternum, comparatively reduced with shallow carina sterni; pronounced flattening of the surface of facies muscularis sterni and anterior projection of the spina externa; in humerus, condylus dorsalis comparatively reduced and deflected less medially with a small proximal depression; in femur, impressiones iliotrochantericae markedly ridged and deeply excavated.