Angola Lark

SCI Name:  Mirafra angolensis
Protonym:  Mirafra angolensis J.Sci.Math.Phys.Nat.Lisboa(1), 8 p.60,68
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Alaudidae / Mirafra
Taxonomy Code:  anglar1
Type Locality:  Caconda, Benguela.
Author:  Bocage
Publish Year:  1880
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

MIRAFRA
(Alaudidae; Ϯ Horsfield's Bush Lark M. javanica) Horsfield made great use of Javanese names, but this does not appear to be one of them (cf. Malay name Merfa for a babbler (see Malacopteron)). According to Agassiz 1842-1846, mirafra is from a native tongue. Gotch 1981, writes that the name is from L. mirus wonderful, and Afra African; the first part of this etymology may be correct, but although most forms occur in the Afrotropics Horsfield’s Bush Lark does not; "MIRAFRA ... The characters in which this genus differs from Alauda are a more robust, conical and arched bill, round nares nearly naked, and a proportionally short claw to the posterior toe. The sides of the beak, between the back (culmen) and cutting edges (tomia) are somewhat convex. In this character it has greater affinity to Fringilla than to Alauda, the bill of which is often subulate (as in Sylvia), while the nares are covered.  Mirafra, although it greatly resembles Calandra, differs from it in possessing the spurious remex, and in having the four instead of the three first remiges elongated  ...  Mirafra Javanica ...  Branjangan Javanis." (Horsfield 1821); "Mirafra Horsfield, 1821, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, 13, pt. 1, p. 159. Type, by monotypy, Mirafra javanica Horsfield." (Peters 1960, IX, 3).    
Var. Miraffra, Mirafa, Myrafra.   
Synon. Africorys, Amirafra, Anacorys, Brachonyx, Corypha, Croteoptera, Etoimus, Geocoraphus, Megalophonus, Neomirafra, Plocealauda, Spilocorydon.

mirafra
Genus Mirafra Horsfield, 1821, bush lark (syn. Mirafra javanica).

angolae / angolense / angolensis / angolica / angolicus
Angola (Portuguese Angola  <  Ngola a title of the kings of Ndongo).
● ex “Rollier d’Angola” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Coracias caudatus).
● ex “Angola Vulture” of Latham 1781 (Gypohierax).
● ex “Apiaster angolensis” of Brisson, “Petit Guêpier vert et bleu à queue étagée” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Angola Bee-eater” of Latham 1782 (?syn. Merops pusillus).
● ex “Linotte d’Angola” of Brisson 1760, and “Angola Finch” of Latham 1783 (syn. Ochrospiza atrogularis).
● ex “Fringilla ventre caeruleo. Blue-belly’d Finch” of Edwards 1750 (Uraeginthus).
● Erroneous TL. Angola (= Brazil); ex “Black Gros-beak” of Edwards 1764 (Sporophila).

SUBSPECIES

Angola Lark (angolensis)
SCI Name: Mirafra angolensis angolensis
angolae / angolense / angolensis / angolica / angolicus
Angola (Portuguese Angola  <  Ngola a title of the kings of Ndongo).
● ex “Rollier d’Angola” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Coracias caudatus).
● ex “Angola Vulture” of Latham 1781 (Gypohierax).
● ex “Apiaster angolensis” of Brisson, “Petit Guêpier vert et bleu à queue étagée” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Angola Bee-eater” of Latham 1782 (?syn. Merops pusillus).
● ex “Linotte d’Angola” of Brisson 1760, and “Angola Finch” of Latham 1783 (syn. Ochrospiza atrogularis).
● ex “Fringilla ventre caeruleo. Blue-belly’d Finch” of Edwards 1750 (Uraeginthus).
● Erroneous TL. Angola (= Brazil); ex “Black Gros-beak” of Edwards 1764 (Sporophila).

Angola Lark (antonii)
SCI Name: Mirafra angolensis antonii
antonii
● Anthony L. Archer (b. 1933) British big-game hunter in Kenya (subsp. Mirafra angolensis).
● Prof. Anton Reichenow (1847-1941) German ornithologist, collector in West Africa 1872-1873 (subsp. Rhipidura dahli, subsp. Sarothrura affinis).

Angola Lark (marungensis)
SCI Name: Mirafra angolensis marungensis
marungensis / marunguensis
Marungu Highlands, Belgian Congo / DR Congo.