African Tailorbird

SCI Name:  Artisornis metopias
Protonym:  Prinia metopias Orn.Monatsb. 15 p.30
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Cisticolidae / Artisornis
Taxonomy Code:  afrtai2
Type Locality:  Usambara, Tanganyika.
Author:  Reichenow
Publish Year:  1907
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

ARTISORNIS
(Cisticolidae; † Red-capped Forest Warbler A. metopias altus) L. ars, artis  skill; Gr. ορνις ornis, ορνιθος ornithos  bird; this bird was formerly known as the African Tailorbird; "Artisornis altus (Friedmann).  Genus Artisornis, nom. n.*  ...  This remarkable new genus and species was collected at an altitude of 8000 feet at Nyingwa, Uluguru Mts. Its nearest relatives appear to be the Indian tailor-birds of the genus Orthotomus from which it differs, however, in having only ten rectrices.  ...  * Replaces Opifex Friedmann, Proc. N. Engl. Zoöl. Cl. x. 1927, p. 4; nec Opifex Hutton, 1902." (Friedmann 1928); "Artisornis Friedmann, 1928, Ibis, p. 93.  New name for Opifex Friedmann, 1927, preoccupied by Opifex Hutton, 1902." (Traylor in Peters, 1986, XI, p. 174).
Synon. Opifex.

metopias
Gr. μετωπιας  metōpias  having a high forehead, beetle-browed  < μετωπιον metōpion  brow, forehead  < μετα meta  between; ωψ ōps, ωπος ōpos  eye.

Metopias
(syn. Netta Ϯ Rosybill N. peposaca) Gr. μετωπιας  metōpias  having a high forehead, beetle-browed  < μετωπιον metōpion  brow, forehead  < μετα meta  between; ωψ ōps, ωπος ōpos  eye; "Genus Metopias  [Metopiana (!)] Bp. 1856." (Heine 1890). A purist replacement name.

SUBSPECIES

African Tailorbird (metopias)
SCI Name: Artisornis metopias metopias
metopias
Gr. μετωπιας  metōpias  having a high forehead, beetle-browed  < μετωπιον metōpion  brow, forehead  < μετα meta  between; ωψ ōps, ωπος ōpos  eye.

African Tailorbird (altus)
SCI Name: Artisornis metopias altus
altus
L. altus  high, shrill, great  < alere  to nourish.