Austral Negrito

SCI Name:  Lessonia rufa
Protonym:  [Alauda] rufa Syst.Nat. 1 pt2 p.792
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Tyrannidae / Lessonia
Taxonomy Code:  ausneg1
Type Locality:  Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Author:  Gmelin, JF
Publish Year:  1789
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

LESSONIA
(Tyrannidae; Ϯ Austral Negrito L. rufa) Prof. René-Primevère Lesson (1794-1849) French Navy surgeon-naturalist, explorer. "24. Genus, LESSONIA.  Rostrum breve, depressum, triangulare, apice adunca, culmine recto.  Vibrissæ mastacales.  Alæ longæ, acuminatæ, remigibus quatuor prioribus æqualibus.  Cauda æqualis.  Tarsi longissimi, graciles.  Digiti laterales æquales.  Ungues vix curvati, posticus longissimus.   ...   Type. — Anthus sordidus, LESSON.  Chili.  Mus. Nost.   ...   It is unquestionably the fissirostral type of the Motacillinæ, and seems to render the rank of Seiurus, as a sub-genus of Accentor, no longer doubtful.  By the kindness of M. Lesson, I am possessed of a specimen from the coast of Chili; and as I see no reason why botanists only should be commemorated by generic names, I trust I may be allowed to designate this new genus after the enterprising Zoologist by whom it was discovered." (Swainson 1832); "Lessonia Swainson, 1832, in Swainson and Richardson, Fauna, Bor.-Amer., 2 (1831), p. 490. Type, by monotypy, Anthus sordidus Lesson = Alauda rufa Gmelin." (Traylor in Peters 1979, VIII, 173).
Synon. Auchmalea, Centrites, Centrophanes.

lessonia / lessonii
● Prof. René-Primevère Lesson (1794-1849) French Navy surgeon-naturalist, explorer (syn. Aquila spilogaster, syn. Ardea herodias, subsp. Ceyx azureus (ex Ceyx azurea Lesson), syn. Cinclodes patagonicus, syn. Phonygammus keraudrenii, Pterodroma, syn. Stercorarius longicaudus, syn. Syma torotoro).
● Pierre-Adolphe Lesson (1805-1888) French Navy surgeon-naturalist, botanist, brother of René-Primevère Lesson (syn. Campephilus guatemalensis, Momotus, syn. Oreopholus ruficollis, syn. Vini ultramarina).

rufa
L. rufus  red, ruddy. In ornithology rufus, rufa and rufum cover a wide spectrum of colours from yellow, orange and brown to crimson, scarlet and purple.
● "91. TETRAO.  ...  rufus.  8. T. rostro pedibusque sanguineis, gula alba cincta fascia nigra albo-punctata.  Tetrao rectricibus cinereis: superiore medietate hinc inde rufis. Fn. svec. 171.  Perdix rufa s. major. Gesn. av. 682. Aldr. orn. l. 13. c. 18. Jonst. av. 68. t. 27. Will. orn. 118. t. 29. Raj. av. 57. Alb. av. I. p. 29. t. 29.  Habitat in Europa australiori.” (Linnaeus 1758) (Alectoris).
● ex “Anhinga roux” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (Anhinga).
● ex “Ferrugineous Duck” of Pennant 1776 (?syn. Aythya nyroca).
● ex “Pie rousse de la Chine” of Sonnerat 1782 (syn. Dendrocitta vagabunda).
● ex “Aigrette rousse de la Louisiane” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 902 (syn. Egretta rufescens).
● ex “Hirondelle à ventre roux de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 724, fig. 1, and “Rufous-bellied Swallow” of Latham 1783 (syn. Hirundo erythrogaster).
● ex “Alouette noire de la Encenada” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 738, fig. 2, and “Alouette noire à dos fauve” of de Buffon 1770-1785 (Lessonia).
● ex “Lanius madagascariensis rufus” of Brisson 1760 (Schetba).
● ex “Fauvette rousse” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 581, fig. 1 (?syn. Sylvia communis).
● ex “Kleinste Grasmücke” of Frisch 1733, “Curruca rufa” of Brisson 1760, “Fauvette rousse” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 581, fig. 1, and de Buffon 1770-1786, and “Rufous Warbler” of Latham 1783 (?syn. Sylvia communis).
● ex “Schet Roux” of Levaillant 1805, pl. 147 (syn. Terpsiphone mutata).