NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Red-masked Parakeet
Psittacara erythrogenys R. Lesson, 1844
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The red-masked parakeet (Psittacara erythrogenys) is a medium-sized parrot from Ecuador and Peru. It is popular as a pet and are better known in aviculture as the cherry-headed conure or the red-headed conure. They are also considered the best talkers of all the conures.
Wikipedia contributors, Red-masked parakeet; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T07:38:46.705681+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Psittacara erythrogenys R. Lesson, 1844
- Name authority
- R. Lesson, 1844
- Common name
- Red-masked Parakeet
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Psittaciformes
- Family
- Psittacidae
- Genus
- Psittacara
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classAves
- orderPsittaciformes
- familyPsittacidae
- genusPsittacara Vigors, 1825
- speciesPsittacara erythrogenys R. Lesson, 1844
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Psittacara. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Hispaniolan ParakeetPsittacara chloropterus Souancé, 1856 | PsittacidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Cuban ParakeetPsittacara euops (Wagler, 1832) | PsittacidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Crimson-fronted ParakeetPsittacara finschi (Salvin, 1871) | PsittacidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Green ParakeetPsittacara holochlorus (P. L. Sclater, 1859) | PsittacidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| White-eyed ParakeetPsittacara leucophthalmus (P. L. S. Müller, 1776) | PsittacidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Mitred ParakeetPsittacara mitratus (Tschudi, 1844) | PsittacidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Red-throated ParakeetPsittacara rubritorquis (P. L. Sclater, 1887) | PsittacidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Scarlet-fronted ParakeetPsittacara wagleri (G. R. Gray, 1845) | PsittacidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Aratinga erythrogenys (R. Lesson, 1844) (R. Lesson, 1844) | synonym |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Oceania
South America
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=1222646 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:C3KS2. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.