African Jacana

SCI Name:  Actophilornis africanus
Protonym:  Parra africana Syst.Nat. 1 pt2 p.709
Taxonomy:  Charadriiformes / Jacanidae / Actophilornis
Taxonomy Code:  afrjac1
Type Locality:  Africa, restricted to Ethiopia by Grant, Ibis, 1915, p. 59.
Author:  Gmelin, JF
Publish Year:  1789
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

ACTOPHILORNIS
(Jacanidae; Ϯ African Jaçana A. africanus) Gr. ακτη aktē, ακτης aktēs  coastal strand, beach; φιλεω phileō  to love; ορνις ornis, ορνιθος ornithos  bird; "Dr. Charles W. Richmond has kindly called my attention to the fact that the generic name Actophilus is untenable. This generic term was proposed (Oberholser, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., June 2, 1899, p. 202) to replace Phyllopezus Sharpe, preoccupied, for a genus of African Jacanidae. It is, however, invalidated by Actophilus Agassiz (Index Universalis, 1846, p. 7) an emendation of Actephelus Stephens (Coleoptera). It may be replaced by Actophilornis (ακτη, beach; φιλεω, I love; ορνις, bird); and Parra africana Gmelin is designated as the type." (Oberholser 1925); "Actophilornis Oberholser, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., 38, 1925, p. 90.  new name to replace Actophilus Oberholser 1899, preoccupied by Actophilus Agassiz 1846 (emendation of Actephilus Stephens 1833, Coleoptera)." (Peters, 1934, II, p. 226).
Synon. Actophilus, Phyllopezus.

africanus
L. Africanus  African.
● ex “African Jacana” of Latham 1785 (Actophilornis).
● Erroneous TL. Africa (= ?Sumatra); ex “Rhinoceros avis secunda varietas” of Willughby 1676, “Trompette de Brac” or “Oiseau trompette” of Labat 1728, “Hydrocorax africanus” of Brisson 1760, “Brac” or “Calao d’Afrique” of de Buffon 1770-1786, and “African Hornbill” of Latham 1781 (unident; ?syn. Buceros rhinoceros).
● ex “Pique-Boeuf” of Brisson 1760 (Buphagus).
● Erroneous TL. Country of the Auteniquoi, South Africa (= ?Europe); ex “Buse Gantée” of Levaillant 1797, pl. 18 (syn. Buteo lagopus).
● ex “Engoulevent à Collier” of Levaillant 1799, and “Bombay Goatsucker” of Latham 1802 (syn. Caprimulgus pectoralis).
● ex “African Pheasant” of Latham 1787 (syn. Crinifer piscator).
● ex “African Shag” of Latham 1785 (Microcarbo),.
● ex “Loriot Coudougnan” of Levaillant 1808, pl. 261 (syn. Oriolus larvatus) (see coudougan).
● ex “Coure-vite à double collier d’Afrique” of Temminck 1807 (Smutsornis).
● Erroneous TL. Great Namaqualand (= ?); ex “Faucon à Culotte Noire” of Levaillant 1798, pl. 29 (unident.).