Antarctic Prion

SCI Name:  Pachyptila desolata
Protonym:  Procellaria desolata Syst.Nat. 1 pt2 p.562
Taxonomy:  Procellariiformes / Procellariidae / Pachyptila
Taxonomy Code:  dovpri1
Type Locality:  Desolation Island = Kerguelen Island.
Author:  Gmelin, JF
Publish Year:  1789
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

PACHYPTILA
(Procellariidae; Ϯ Broad-billed Prion P. vittata) Gr. παχυς pakhus  dense, thick; πτιλον ptilon  feather, plumage; "GENUS 132.  PACHYPTILA (παχυς densus  πτιλον pluma) (Flaumtaucher Germ.)  Rostrum mediocre, latum, rectum, depressum, maxillae parte culminali, paratonis, dertro distinctis, dertro uncinato, mandibulae myxa compressa apice trnncata [sic]. Tomia externa acuta integerrima, interna pectinata.  Nares versus basin positae, tubulosae, distinctae, tubulo brevi aut perpendiculari aut obliquo, antrorsum et sursum patentes.  Lingua crassa, carnosa, conica.  Alae elongatae. Ptilosis plumis duplicatis.  Pedes breves, aversi, congrui, palmati, tridactyli et ungue hallucari.  Ungues falculares, concavi, hallucaris conicus.  Tarsus digito medio aliquantum brevior.  Tarsotheca granulata.   Species: Procellaria vittata, caerulea Lin Gmel.   Annot. Hujus et reliquorum ejusdem familiae generum characteres, quantum licuit, e descriptionibus R. Forsteri manu scriptis collegi.  Praeter Procellarias nullam hujus tribus avem ipse quidem vidi, et Haladromae et Pachyptilae pecularia genera justo titulo sibi poscere visa sunt." (Illiger 1811); "Pachyptila Illiger, 1811, Prodromus Syst. Mammalium Avium, p. 274. Type, by subsequent designation (Selby, 1840, Cat. Gen. Subgen. Types Class Aves, p. 49), Procellaria forsteri Latham = Procellaria vittata G. Forster." (Jouanin & Mougin in Peters 1979, 1, 2nd ed., 79). 
Synon. Attaprion, Fulmariprion, Heteroprion, Priamphus, Prion, Pseudoprion, Salviprion.

desolata
L. desolatus  forsaken, desolated  < desolare  to abandon  < solus  alone, solitary (e.g. remote or insular habitat).
● Desolation I. (= Kerguelen Is.), Indian Ocean; ex “Brown-banded Petrel” of Latham 1785 (Pachyptila).
● Mauritius (Terpsiphone).

SUBSPECIES

Antarctic Prion (desolata)
SCI Name: Pachyptila desolata desolata
desolata
L. desolatus  forsaken, desolated  < desolare  to abandon  < solus  alone, solitary (e.g. remote or insular habitat).
● Desolation I. (= Kerguelen Is.), Indian Ocean; ex “Brown-banded Petrel” of Latham 1785 (Pachyptila).
● Mauritius (Terpsiphone).

Antarctic Prion (altera)
SCI Name: Pachyptila desolata altera
alter / altera
L. alter, altera, alterum  second, next, another  < comp. alius  other.
● "13.  ALÆMON HAMERTONI ALTERA, subsp. nov.  ♂ ad.  This bird differs from typical A. hamertoni described above by the whole of the upperside being of a pale sandy colour.  The flanks and belly are also more buff-coloured and the upper breast is more faintly marked with greyish brown, while the under wing-coverts and axillaries are pale sandy buff.  The buff-coloured supercilium is also more distinct." (Witherby 1905) (subsp. Alaemon hamertoni).
● "Ammospiza caudacuta altera subsp. nov.  ...  Similar to Ammospiza caudacuta nelsoni (Allen), but general coloration lighter.  The blackish-brown lateral stripes on the pileum are narrower and the grayish median stripe is correspondingly wider; the superciliaries are paler buff, and the auriculars more grayish and more strongly contrasted with the surrounding parts; the wing coverts and secondaries have paler rusty buff edgings; there is less brownish shading on the back, and the white streaks are less prominent."(Todd 1938) (subsp. Ammospiza nelsoni).
● "Cinnyris habessinicus alter nov. subsp.  Sehr ähnlich dem Cinnyris habessinicus habessinicus von Nord-Abyssinien, aber etwas grösser und mit längerem, geraderem Schnabel." (Neumann 1906) (subsp. Cinnyris habessinicus).
● "CORAPIPO LEUCORRHOA ALTERA, subsp. n.   ♂ Exactly of the same coloration as C. l. leucorrhoa (Scl.) of Colombia, but at once known by the different form of the wing.  The fourth primary the longest  ...  In C. l. leucorrhoa the fifth and sixth primaries are the longest" (Hellmayr 1906) (subsp. Corapipo leucorrhoa).
● "Arising from an enquiry made by Mr. H. G. Deignan of the United States National Museum it appeared that some specimens of the babbler Trichastoma abbotti in the British Museum (Natural History) represent an undescribed race.  Mr. Deignan has asked that a name should be given them so that it can be included in the section of Peter's Check List of the Birds of the World on which he is working.  The specimens were examined by Mrs. B. P. Hall but she left for Africa before a note could be prepared; she has now given me permission to publish a description.  I agree with her that the specimens have distinctive characters and appear to represent a valid race which is named as follows:— Trichastoma abbotti alterum new race.  Description: Nearest to williamsoni Deignan, 1948, but the crown is duller in colour and the forehead less streaked; the remainder of the upper parts are also slightly duller being more chestnut and less rufescent.  The throat is greyer and more distinctly streaked while the breast has more of an ashy than olivaceous wash.  The flanks are slightly paler and duller being more cinnamomeous than rufescent; they also have a somewhat ashy wash." (Sims 1957) (subsp. Malacocincla abbottii).
● "75.  Manucodia ater altera subsp. nov.  ...  Specimens from the south-eastern parts of New Guinea—namely, British New Guinea and the Louisiade Islands (Sudest)—are so much larger (wing in males 193—206 mm., bill about 40—44, against wing (♂) 168—188, bill 35—40 in typical ater) that we are obliged to separate them under a new subspecific name.  The bill is altogether stronger (less slender) and higher, and generally longer, tail and wings longer.  In adult birds the head is generally less greenish than in typical ater." (Rothschild & Hartert 1903) (subsp. Manucodia ater).
● "H. desolatus alter, subsp. n.; Auckland Islands.   Bill broader still, and agreeing very closely with H. d. banksi, under which name it has been commonly known.  The type of H. d. banksi seems immature, and therefore the present race would have a slightly narrower bill.  ...  It should be remembered that the differences are more easily appreciable in nature than would appear from a study of these figures, which are most accurately and carfully drawn." (Mathews 1912) (syn. Pachyptila desolata).
● "PYRRHULA ALTERA, sp. n.   ♂ ad. Similis P. erithaco ♂, sed supra clarius schistaceus, nec murino-brunneus, rubedine pectoris magis miniata, nec aurantiaco-rubra distinguendus.  ...  ♀ ad. Similis P. erithaco ♀, sed saturatior, gastræo intense chocolatino, nec vinaceo-brunneo, dorso sordide chocolatino, pileo colloque postico clarius schistaceis." (Rippon 1906) (syn. Pyrrhula erythaca).
● "Rhipidura nebulosa altera, new subspecies.  ...  Similar to nebulosa, but lighter, white marks more pronounced; the white postocular stripe broader and longer; the white supraloral spot more pronounced; most specimens with a distinct whitish throat which is exceptional in nebulosa; buffy area on lower belly more extended; white margins on the tail-feathers broader; smaller." (Mayr 1931) (subsp. Rhipidura nebulosa).

Antarctic Prion (banksi)
SCI Name: Pachyptila desolata banksi
banksi
● Edward H. Banks (1903-1988) British District Officer in Sarawak, zoologist, Curator of Sarawak Mus. 1925-1945 (subsp. Horornis flavolivaceus).
● Sir Joseph Banks, Bt. (1743-1820) English botanist, explorer, chief naturalist on Cook's voyage 1768-1771, founder of Kew Gardens, President of the Royal Society 1778-1820, patron of the sciences (syn. Pachyptila desolata).
● Dr Richard Charles Banks (b. 1931) US ornithologist, conservationist (subsp. Setophaga petechia).