Allen's Gallinule

SCI Name:  Porphyrio alleni
Protonym:  Porphyrio Alleni Ann.Mag.Nat.Hist.(1), 10 p.204
Taxonomy:  Gruiformes / Rallidae / Porphyrio
Taxonomy Code:  allgal1
Type Locality:  Idda, Niger River.
Author:  Thomson
Publish Year:  1842
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

PORPHYRIO
(Rallidae; Ϯ Purple Swamphen P. porphyrio) L. porphyrio, porphyrionis  swamphen  < Gr. πορφυριον porphurion  swamphen  < πορφυρα porphura  purple; "Porphyrio. Genus 87.  ...  Le genre de la Poule-Sultane.  Genus Porphyrionis.  ...  **1. LA POULE-SULTANE.  ...  PORPHYRIO.  ...  Elle est à peu près de la grosseur d'une Poule" (Brisson 1760): based on "Porphyrio" or "Porphyrion" of many authors, and Fulica Porphyrio, Linnaeus, 1758; "Porphyrio Brisson, Orn., 1760, 1, p. 48; 5, p. 522. Type, by tautonymy, Porphyrio Brisson = Fulica porphyrio Linné." (Peters 1934, II, 207). The Purple Swamphen has a wide distribution in the Old World from Spain to Samoa, but some of its forms may warrant specific separation, as in Peters 1934, II, who recognised P. porphyrio, P. madagascariensis, P. poliocephalus, P. pulverulentus, and the extinct P. albus.
Var. Parphyrio, Porphyrion (Gr. πορφυριον porphurion  swamphen), Porphirio. 
Synon. Caesarornis, Cyanornis, Glaucestes, Hydrornia, Ionornis, Jonocicca, Kentrophorina, Mantellornis, Notornis, Porphyriola, Porphyrula.

porphyrio
● Gr. πορφυριος porphurios  purple-clad, bright-red (syn. Habia rubica).
● L. porphyrio, porphyrionis  swamphen  < Gr. πορφυριον porphurion  swamphen, gallinule  < πορφυρα porphura  purple; "82. FULICA.  ...  Porphyrio.  3. F. fronte calva, corpore violaceo, digitis simplicibus.  Fulica major pulla, fronte cera coccinea oblongo-quadrata. Brown. jam. 479.  Porphyrio. Alb. av. 3. p. 79. t. 84. Raj. av. 116. n. 13. Edw. av. 87. t. 87. Dodart. act. 3. p. 30?  Habitat in Asia, America." (Linnaeus 1758) (Porphyrio).

alleni
● Dr Joel Asaph Allen (1838-1921) US ornithologist, founding President of AOU 1883, Curator of AMNH 1885-1921 (syn. Ardenna pacifica, subsp. Buteo lineatus, subsp. Chrysuronia oenone, subsp. Coereba flaveola, subsp. Colaptes rubiginosus, subsp. Lagopus lagopus, syn. Phylloscartes ophthalmicus, subsp. Pipilo erythrophthalmus, syn. Rhynchotus rufescens, subsp. Spinus magellanicus, syn. Strix nebulosa, syn. Strix varia, subsp. Vireo crassirostris).
● Dr Elsa Guerdrum Allen (1888-?1976) US ornithologist, bibliographer (subsp. Arremon brunneinucha).
● Dr Glover Morrill Allen (1879-1942) US zoologist, Librarian of Boston Society of Natural History 1901-1927, Curator of Mammals at MCZ Harvard 1927-1938, traveller, collector (syn. Cisticola cinereolus schillingsi, subsp. Oriolus nigripennis, syn. Ploceus bojeri, syn. Turnix lepurana).
● Lt.-Commander Alfred Reginald Allen, Jr. (1905-1988) US Army, musician, Gen.-Manager Philadelphia Orchestra, Assistant Gen.-Manager Metropolitan Opera, New York, Curator of Gilbert & Sullivan Collection, Pierpoint Morgan Library, collector in South Africa (syn. Eupodotis rueppellii).
● Prof. Arthur Augustus Allen (1885-1964) US ornithologist, collector in Panama and Colombia 1911-1912, Professor of Ornithology Cornell Univ. 1912-1953 (Grallaria, syn. Oxyura jamaicensis).
● Rear-Adm. William Allen (1793-1864) Royal Navy, who took part in the Niger Expeditions 1832, 1841-1842 (Porphyrio).
● Charles Andrew Allen (1841-1930) US collector, taxidermist, woodsman (syn. Selasphorus sasin).