Alpine Thrush

SCI Name:  Zoothera mollissima
Protonym:  T.(urdus) mollissimus J.Asiat.Soc.Bengal 11 p.188
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Turdidae / Zoothera
Taxonomy Code:  alpthr1
Type Locality:  Darjeeling.
Author:  Blyth
Publish Year:  1842
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

ZOOTHERA
(Turdidae; Ϯ Long-billed Thrush Z. monticola) Gr. ζωον zōon  animal; -θηρας -thēras  -hunter  < θηραω thēraō  to hunt  < θηρ thēr, θηρος thēros  beast, animal; "A species belonging apparently to the family of Merulidæ, and to that portion of it which, from their long legs and short wings and tails, indicate their station to be on the ground, afforded an opportunity of characterizing a form which seems hitherto to have been unnoticed. The length, strength, and arcuated culmen of the bill, and the length and strength of the hallux, formed the most distinguishing points of modification.   ZOOTHERA*.  Rostrum forte, elongatum, subcurvatum, subcompressum, culmine elevato; mandibula superiori subemarginata, dente subapicali vix decernenda; naribus ovalibus, lateralibus; rictu vibrissis rigidis munito.  Alæ subbreves, subrotundatæ; remigibus prima brevi, secunda multo longiore, tertia quarta quintaque fere æqualibus longissimis, sexta his breviori at prima longiori, cæteris gradatim descrescentibus.  Pedes subelongati, subfortes, acrotarsiis integris; digitis anterioribus subfortibus, externis ad basin membrana connexis, internis liberis, medio longissimo; halluce elongato fortissimo, ungue forti elongato.  Cauda subbrevis, æqualis; rectricibus duodecim.    ZOOTHERA MONTICOLA.   ...   * The group seems to have many characters in common with Pomatorhinus, Horsf.  The strong and elevated bill constitutes the chief mark of separation.  The alliance between the two groups may serve to indicate the general affinities of the latter genus, whose place in the system has been hitherto undetermined." (Vigors 1832); "Zoothera Vigors, 1832, Proc. [Comm. Sci. Corres.] Zool. Soc. London, p. 172. Type, by monotypy, Zoothera monticola Vigors." (Ripley in Peters, 1964, X, p. 144).
Synon. Aegithocichla, Andromedon, Cichlopasser, Myiophaga, Oreocincla.

mollissima / mollissimus
L. mollissimus  very soft  < super. mollis  soft.
● "61. ANAS.  ...  mollissima.  12. A. rostro cylindrico, cera postice bifida rugosa. Fn. svec. 94.  Anas plumis mollissimis. Barth. act. I. p. 90. Worm. mus. 310. Will. orn. 277. Raj. av. 141.  Anas magna nigra & alba. Edw. av. 98. t. 98.  Habitat in Europa boreali, pelagica. It. gotl. 213. deplumatur in nido: plumis mollissimis, præstantissimis, pretiosissimis.  Mas albus, subtus posticeque niger. Femina grisea." (Linnaeus 1758) (Somateria).