Martinique amazon
{{Short description|Hypothetical species of bird}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Amazona martinicana.png
| image_caption = Somewhat speculative restoration
| status = EX
| extinct = 1779
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| classification_status = disputed
| genus = Amazona
| species = martinicana
| authority = A.H. Clark, 1905
| synonyms =
| range_map = Martinique in its region.svg
| range_map_caption = Location of Martinique
}}
The Martinique amazon (Amazona martinicana) is a hypothetical extinct species of Caribbean parrot in the family Psittacidae. It is not known from any material remains, but was said to be similar to the red-necked amazon (A. arausiaca) from Dominica, the next major island to the north of Martinique. Natives are known to have traded extensively in parrots between the Antilles, and it seems that the Martinique population was in some way related to or even descended from A. arausiaca.{{cite journal|last= Olson|first= S. L.|author2=E. J. Máiz López|year= 2008|title= New evidence of Ara autochthones from an archeological site in Puerto Rico: a valid species of West Indian macaw of unknown geographical origin (Aves: Psittacidae)|journal= Caribbean Journal of Science|volume= 44|issue= 2|pages= 215–222|doi= 10.18475/cjos.v44i2.a9|s2cid= 54593515|url= http://caribjsci.org/July08/44_215-222.pdf}}
Description
Jean-Baptiste Labat described them as follows in 1742:
{{blockquote|Those of Dominica have some red feathers on the wings, under the throat, and in the tail; all the rest is green (Amazona bouqueti, w.r.). Those of Martinique have the same plumage as the last mentioned, but the top of the head is slate colour with a small amount of red.{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/extinctbirdsatte00roth|title=Extinct birds : an attempt to unite in one volume a short account of those birds which have become extinct in historical times : that is, within the last six or seven hundred years : to which are added a few which still exist, but are on the verge of extinction|first=Lionel Walter Rothschild|last=Rothschild|date=15 April 2018|publisher=London : Hutchinson|via=Internet Archive}}}}
Assuming it was a genuine and distinct taxon, it was endemic to Martinique and became extinct due to habitat loss as Martinique was cleared for agriculture.{{cite book| last = Ellis| first = Richard| author-link = Richard Ellis (biologist) | title = No Turning Back: The Life and Death of Animal Species| url = https://archive.org/details/noturningbacklif00elli| url-access = registration| publisher = Harper Perennial | year = 2004| location = New York| pages = [https://archive.org/details/noturningbacklif00elli/page/168 168]| isbn =0-06-055804-0 }} It has not been recorded since 1722.
The Guadeloupe amazon ("A. violacea"), a similarly speculative "species", was said to inhabit the island of Guadeloupe. It is sometimes considered to be the same as "A. martinicana". However, it is more widely held to be related or identical to the imperial amazon (A. imperialis), the second Amazona species of Dominica.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Commons category-inline|Amazona martinicana}}
{{Amazon parrots}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1080909}}
Category:Bird extinctions since 1500
Category:Birds described in 1905
Category:Taxa named by Austin Hobart Clark
Category:Culture of Martinique
Category:Extinct birds of the Caribbean
Category:Species made extinct by human activities
Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
Category:Controversial parrot taxa
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