Australasian Swamphen

SCI Name:  Porphyrio melanotus
Protonym:  Porphyrio melanotus Man.Orn.[Temminck].ed.2 ed.2, 2 p.701
Taxonomy:  Gruiformes / Rallidae / Porphyrio
Taxonomy Code:  purswa6
Type Locality:  New South Wales.
Author:  Temminck
Publish Year:  1820
IUCN Status:  

DEFINITIONS

PORPHYRIO
(Rallidae; Ϯ Purple Swamphen P. porphyrio) L. porphyrio, porphyrionis  swamphen  < Gr. πορφυριον porphurion  swamphen  < πορφυρα porphura  purple; "Porphyrio. Genus 87.  ...  Le genre de la Poule-Sultane.  Genus Porphyrionis.  ...  **1. LA POULE-SULTANE.  ...  PORPHYRIO.  ...  Elle est à peu près de la grosseur d'une Poule" (Brisson 1760): based on "Porphyrio" or "Porphyrion" of many authors, and Fulica Porphyrio, Linnaeus, 1758; "Porphyrio Brisson, Orn., 1760, 1, p. 48; 5, p. 522. Type, by tautonymy, Porphyrio Brisson = Fulica porphyrio Linné." (Peters 1934, II, 207). The Purple Swamphen has a wide distribution in the Old World from Spain to Samoa, but some of its forms may warrant specific separation, as in Peters 1934, II, who recognised P. porphyrio, P. madagascariensis, P. poliocephalus, P. pulverulentus, and the extinct P. albus.
Var. Parphyrio, Porphyrion (Gr. πορφυριον porphurion  swamphen), Porphirio. 
Synon. Caesarornis, Cyanornis, Glaucestes, Hydrornia, Ionornis, Jonocicca, Kentrophorina, Mantellornis, Notornis, Porphyriola, Porphyrula.

porphyrio
● Gr. πορφυριος porphurios  purple-clad, bright-red (syn. Habia rubica).
● L. porphyrio, porphyrionis  swamphen  < Gr. πορφυριον porphurion  swamphen, gallinule  < πορφυρα porphura  purple; "82. FULICA.  ...  Porphyrio.  3. F. fronte calva, corpore violaceo, digitis simplicibus.  Fulica major pulla, fronte cera coccinea oblongo-quadrata. Brown. jam. 479.  Porphyrio. Alb. av. 3. p. 79. t. 84. Raj. av. 116. n. 13. Edw. av. 87. t. 87. Dodart. act. 3. p. 30?  Habitat in Asia, America." (Linnaeus 1758) (Porphyrio).

melanotus
Gr. μελας melas, μελανος melanos  black; -νωτος -nōtos  -backed  < νωτον nōton  back.

SUBSPECIES

Australasian Swamphen (pelewensis)
SCI Name: Porphyrio melanotus pelewensis
pelewensis
Pelew / Palau / Belau Is., Micronesia.

Australasian Swamphen (melanopterus)
SCI Name: Porphyrio melanotus melanopterus
melanopterus
Gr. μελανοπτερος melanopteros  black-winged  < μελας melas, μελανος  melanos  black; -πτερος -pteros  -winged  < πτερον pteron wing.
● ex “Blac” of Levaillant 1798, pl. 36 < blanc white (cf. Arabic ablaq pied black and white) (syn. Elanus caeruleus).
● ex “Petite Perruche de Batavia” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 791, fig. 1, “Perruche aux ailes variées” of de Buffon 1770-1785, “Petite Perruche de l’isle de Luçon” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Black-winged Parrakeet” of Brown 1776, and Latham 1781 (syn. Touit batavicus).

Australasian Swamphen (bellus)
SCI Name: Porphyrio melanotus bellus
bellus
L. bellus  pretty, charming  < benus old form of bonus  good.

Australasian Swamphen (melanotus)
SCI Name: Porphyrio melanotus melanotus
melanotus
Gr. μελας melas, μελανος melanos  black; -νωτος -nōtos  -backed  < νωτον nōton  back.

Australasian Swamphen (samoensis)
SCI Name: Porphyrio melanotus samoensis
samoensis
Samoa (Samoan sa sacred; moa centre, place).