American Dipper

SCI Name:  Cinclus mexicanus
Protonym:  Cinclus mexicanus Philos.Mag.n.s. n.s., 1 p.368
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Cinclidae / Cinclus
Taxonomy Code:  amedip
Type Locality:  Temascaltepec, Mexico.
Author:  Swainson
Publish Year:  1827
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

CINCLUS
(Cinclidae; † White-throated Dipper C. cinclus) Specific name Sturnus cinclus Linnaeus, 1758; the dippers are a small, distinctive group of passerines adapted to swimming and hunting under water; "XXIII. Gattung, Wasseramsel, Cinclus.    ...   128) Cinclus hydrophilus, die gemeine Wasseramsel, schwarz mit weißer Brust.  Linn. p. 803. nr. 5.  Faun. suec. nr. 214. Sturnus Cinclus.  Bechsteins Nat. Gesch. Deutschl. IV. S. 167.  Der Wasserstaar.  Göze Fauna V. I. S. 67. Wasserstaar.  Scopoli Ann. I. nr. 223. Motacilla Cinclus.  Lathams Uebers. III. S. 45. nr. 50. Wasseramsel (unter den Drosseln).   ...   Aber nirgends steht er am rechten Art, und nur in einer eigenen Gattung, wozu der Bau seines Körpers und Schnabels hinlängliche Kennzeichen darbieten, kann er eine angemessene Stelle finden." (Borkhausen 1797); "Wassenschwätzer. Cinclus   ...   Der Gestalt nach unter die Singvögel gehörig, der Nahrung und Lebensart nach aber sich den Sumpfvögeln und zwar den Strandläufen nähernd. Nähren sich von Wasserinsekten und nisten in Uferlöchern   ...   Sturnus Cinclus. Linn." (Bechstein 1802); "Cinclus Borkhausen, 1797, Deutsche Fauna, 1, p. 300.  Type, by monotypy, Cinclus hydrophilus Borkhausen = Sturnus cinclus Linnaeus." (Greenway in Peters, 1960, IX, p. 374).
Var. Cinches.
Synon. Accentor, Aquatilis, Hydrichla, Hydrobata.
• (Scolopacidae; syn. Arenaria † Ruddy Turnstone A. interpres) Gr. κιγκλος kinklos  unidentified waterside bird; "CINCLUS, Mœhr. (1752).  Strepsilas, Ill. (1811).  Arenaria, Briss. (1760).  Morinella, Meyer (1810).  Tringa, L.    C. morinellus, (L.) G. R. Gray. Pl. enl. 856.  S. interpres, Ill.  S. collaris, Temm." (G. Gray 1841); "Cinclus "Moehring" (not of Borkhausen, 1797, nor of Bechstein, 1802) Gray, List Gen. Subgen. Bds., 2nd ed., p. 85, 1841—type, by orig. desig., Tringa morinella Linnaeus [= Tringa interpres Linnaeus]." (Hellmayr and Conover, 1948, Cat. Birds Americas, Pt. I (3), p. 134); Gray has opened Pandora's box here; Moehring's "Cinclus", in so far as it is identifiable at all, is most probably the Dunlin, and certainly not the Turnstone.
• (Scolopacidae; syn. Calidris † Dunlin C. alpina) "HALVE SNEP, LOOPERTJE, in 't Lat. Cinclus.* [RAY. Syn. Av. p. 110]" (Moehring 1758); "L'ALOUETTE-DE-MER.  ... CINCLUS" (Brisson 1760): ex "Cinclus" of Gessner 1555, "Schoeniclus" of Aldrovandus 1599-1603, "Junco" of Charleton 1668, "Ox-eye" of Ray 1713, and other references. The "Ox-eye" of Ray is certainly the Dunlin.  Although historically Tringa Cinclus has been used for a variety of waders, Cinclus Bechstein, 1804: "Steinpicker  ...  Tringa Cinclus, alpina, islandica u.a.", also represents the Dunlin (OD per Björn Bergenholtz).
• (syn. ?) Rafinesque's first use of this name; perhaps a lapsus for Coloeus; "Sous-famille. CORACINIA. Coraces. Bec comprimé.  G. 1. Coracias L.   2. Becardia R.   3. Gonotrimphus R.   4. Paradisea L.    5. Nemoderus R. L.   6. Caryocactes R.   7. Cinclus R.   8. Corvus L.   9. Kinkus R.   10. Corbivus R." (Rafinesque 1815).
• (syn. ?) Rafinesque's second use of this name; "2. Sous-famille. STURNIDIA. Les Sturniens. Bec allongé, non comprimé.   20. Glaucopis L.   21. Buphaga L.   22. Oriolus L.   23. Sturnus L. Quiscalis R.   24. Calleas R.   25. Icterus Daud.   26. Cacicus Daud.   27. Xanthornus R.   28. Cinclus R." (Rafinesque 1815).

cinclus
Gr. κιγκλος kinklos  small tail-wagging waterside bird mentioned by Aristotle, Aristophanes, Aelianus and other authors, perhaps a wagtail or a sandpiper, but never properly identified. Variously treated by later authors as a wagtail, sandpiper, dipper, thrush or ouzel. In ornithology cinclus is associated with a great variety of unrelated thrush-like birds (e.g., the water ouzel or dipper), but rarely with the true thrushes.
● (syn. Actitis hypoleucos).
● (syn. Arenaria interpres).
● ex “Cinclus” of Gessner 1555, Aldrovandus 1599-1603, and Ray 1713, and “Tringa Cinclus” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Calidris alpina).
● "94. STURNUS.  ...  Cinclus.  4. S. niger, pectore albo.  Motacilla pectore albo, corpore nigro. Fn. svec. 216.  Merula aquatica. Gesn. av. 609. Aldr. orn. l. 20. c. 54. Will. orn. 104. t. 24. Raj. av. 66. n. 7. Alb. av. 2. p. 36. t. 39.  Habitat in Europa ad aquas: Hyeme ad cataractas, fontesque non congelandos, ubi descendit per voragines voratura Oniscos aquaticos Insectaque alia: emergitque non palmipes, hyeme solitaria, æstate plerumque gemina versatur. Mere insectivora nec granivora, naribus laminula fere clausis distincta a Motacillis." (Linnaeus 1758) (Cinclus).

mexicanum / mexicanus
Mexico (probably named after Mexihtli, another name for Huitzilopochtli the Aztec god of war). This toponym also included New Spain, a former name for Mexico.
● ex “Colcuicuiltu” of Hernandez 1651, and “Caille de la Louisiane” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Colinus virginianus).
● ex “Hoitlalotl” of Hernandez 1651, and de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Courier Pheasant” of Latham 1783 (?syn. Geococcyx velox).
● Erroneous TL. New Spain (= Cayenne); ex “Troupiale brun de la Nouvelle Espagne” (= ☼) of Brisson 1760 (Gymnomystax).
● ex “Comaltecatl” of Hernandez 1651, and “Échasse du Méxique” of Brisson 1760 (subsp. Himantopus himantopus).
● Erroneous TL. Mexico (= Jamaica) (syn. Icterus leucopteryx).
● ex “Merula mexicana” of Seba 1734-1765, “Galgulus mexicanus” of Brisson 1760, “Roller du Mexique” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mexican Roller” of Latham 1781 (?syn. Laniocera or Lipaugus sp.).
● Erroneous TL. New Spain (= Cayenne); ex “Faisan huppé de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 337, “Crested Pheasant” of Latham 1783, Phasianus cristatus J. Gmelin, 1789, and “Penelôpe hoatzin du Méxique” of Temminck 1807 (syn. Opisthocomus hoazin).
● ex “Acacalotl” of Hernandez 1651, “Acalotl” of Willughby 1676, and Ray 1713, “Numenius mexicanus varius” of Brisson 1760, “Acalot” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mexican Ibis” of Latham 1785 (?syn. Plegadis falcinellus).
● ex “Hocitzanatl” of Hernandez 1651, and Ray, 1711, “Pica Mexicana major” of Brisson 1760, “Hocisana” of de Buffon 1770-1783, “Criard” of Pernety 1771, and “Mexican Crow” of Latham 1781 (Quiscalus).
● ex “Tecolotl” of Ray 1713, “Asio mexicanus” of Brisson, and “Mexican Eared Owl” of Latham 1781 (syn. Rhinoptynx clamator).
● ex “Yacapatlahoac” of Hernandez 1651, “Anas clypeata mexicana” or “Souchet du Méxique” of Brisson 1760, and “Mexican Shoveler” of Latham 1785 (syn. Spatula clypeata).
● Erroneous TL. Mexico (= Puerto Rico) (Todus).
● ex “Avis Cocho Psittaci mexicani species” of Seba 1734, and “Psittaca mexicana lutea” of Brisson 1760 (unident.).
● ex “Avis de cocho, psittaci species mexicana vario colore” of Seba 1734, “Psittacula mexicana cristata” of Brisson 1760, and “Crested Mexican Parrakeet” of Latham 1781 (unident.).
● ex “Caxcaxtototl” of Ray 1713, “Cotinga mexicana” of Brisson 1760, “Cacastol” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mexican Stare” of Latham 1783 (unident.).

SUBSPECIES

American Dipper (Northern)
SCI Name: Cinclus mexicanus [mexicanus Group]
CINCLUS
(Cinclidae; † White-throated Dipper C. cinclus) Specific name Sturnus cinclus Linnaeus, 1758; the dippers are a small, distinctive group of passerines adapted to swimming and hunting under water; "XXIII. Gattung, Wasseramsel, Cinclus.    ...   128) Cinclus hydrophilus, die gemeine Wasseramsel, schwarz mit weißer Brust.  Linn. p. 803. nr. 5.  Faun. suec. nr. 214. Sturnus Cinclus.  Bechsteins Nat. Gesch. Deutschl. IV. S. 167.  Der Wasserstaar.  Göze Fauna V. I. S. 67. Wasserstaar.  Scopoli Ann. I. nr. 223. Motacilla Cinclus.  Lathams Uebers. III. S. 45. nr. 50. Wasseramsel (unter den Drosseln).   ...   Aber nirgends steht er am rechten Art, und nur in einer eigenen Gattung, wozu der Bau seines Körpers und Schnabels hinlängliche Kennzeichen darbieten, kann er eine angemessene Stelle finden." (Borkhausen 1797); "Wassenschwätzer. Cinclus   ...   Der Gestalt nach unter die Singvögel gehörig, der Nahrung und Lebensart nach aber sich den Sumpfvögeln und zwar den Strandläufen nähernd. Nähren sich von Wasserinsekten und nisten in Uferlöchern   ...   Sturnus Cinclus. Linn." (Bechstein 1802); "Cinclus Borkhausen, 1797, Deutsche Fauna, 1, p. 300.  Type, by monotypy, Cinclus hydrophilus Borkhausen = Sturnus cinclus Linnaeus." (Greenway in Peters, 1960, IX, p. 374).
Var. Cinches.
Synon. Accentor, Aquatilis, Hydrichla, Hydrobata.
• (Scolopacidae; syn. Arenaria † Ruddy Turnstone A. interpres) Gr. κιγκλος kinklos  unidentified waterside bird; "CINCLUS, Mœhr. (1752).  Strepsilas, Ill. (1811).  Arenaria, Briss. (1760).  Morinella, Meyer (1810).  Tringa, L.    C. morinellus, (L.) G. R. Gray. Pl. enl. 856.  S. interpres, Ill.  S. collaris, Temm." (G. Gray 1841); "Cinclus "Moehring" (not of Borkhausen, 1797, nor of Bechstein, 1802) Gray, List Gen. Subgen. Bds., 2nd ed., p. 85, 1841—type, by orig. desig., Tringa morinella Linnaeus [= Tringa interpres Linnaeus]." (Hellmayr and Conover, 1948, Cat. Birds Americas, Pt. I (3), p. 134); Gray has opened Pandora's box here; Moehring's "Cinclus", in so far as it is identifiable at all, is most probably the Dunlin, and certainly not the Turnstone.
• (Scolopacidae; syn. Calidris † Dunlin C. alpina) "HALVE SNEP, LOOPERTJE, in 't Lat. Cinclus.* [RAY. Syn. Av. p. 110]" (Moehring 1758); "L'ALOUETTE-DE-MER.  ... CINCLUS" (Brisson 1760): ex "Cinclus" of Gessner 1555, "Schoeniclus" of Aldrovandus 1599-1603, "Junco" of Charleton 1668, "Ox-eye" of Ray 1713, and other references. The "Ox-eye" of Ray is certainly the Dunlin.  Although historically Tringa Cinclus has been used for a variety of waders, Cinclus Bechstein, 1804: "Steinpicker  ...  Tringa Cinclus, alpina, islandica u.a.", also represents the Dunlin (OD per Björn Bergenholtz).
• (syn. ?) Rafinesque's first use of this name; perhaps a lapsus for Coloeus; "Sous-famille. CORACINIA. Coraces. Bec comprimé.  G. 1. Coracias L.   2. Becardia R.   3. Gonotrimphus R.   4. Paradisea L.    5. Nemoderus R. L.   6. Caryocactes R.   7. Cinclus R.   8. Corvus L.   9. Kinkus R.   10. Corbivus R." (Rafinesque 1815).
• (syn. ?) Rafinesque's second use of this name; "2. Sous-famille. STURNIDIA. Les Sturniens. Bec allongé, non comprimé.   20. Glaucopis L.   21. Buphaga L.   22. Oriolus L.   23. Sturnus L. Quiscalis R.   24. Calleas R.   25. Icterus Daud.   26. Cacicus Daud.   27. Xanthornus R.   28. Cinclus R." (Rafinesque 1815).

American Dipper (Costa Rican)
SCI Name: Cinclus mexicanus ardesiacus
ardesiaca / ardesiacea / ardesiacus
Mod. L. ardesiacus  slate-coloured, slaty  < French ardoisé  slate-grey.