Australian Brushturkey

SCI Name:  Alectura lathami
Protonym:  Alectura Lathami Zool.Misc.[Gray,JE] 1 p.4
Taxonomy:  Galliformes / Megapodiidae / Alectura
Taxonomy Code:  ausbrt1
Type Locality:  Near Sydney, New South Wales.
Author:  Gray, JE
Publish Year:  1831
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

ALECTURA
(Megapodidae; Ϯ Australian Brush-turkey A. lathami) Gr. αλεκτορις alektoris, αλεκτοριδος alektoridos  hen, chicken  < αλεκτωρ alektōr, αλεκτορος alektoros  cockerel; ουρα oura  tail (according to Agassiz 1842-1846, the first part of the name is from Gr. αλεκτος alektos  ineffable, indescribable); "New-Holland Vulture.  A drawing of this was, many years since, communicated by our late friend, Gen. Davies, under that appellation, but the source he took it from cannot now be known. It should appear, that the want of feathers on the head and neck had induced the General to suppose it a Vulture; yet the shape of the bill and claws scarcely satisfied us that it belonged to that Genus  ...  what more pointedly determines it not to belong to the Vulture is the tail, which consists of eighteen feathers, whereas the number in the Vulture is never more than twelve; in shape too it is singular, the feathers being decumbent, or placed declining over each other, as in the common Poultry Hen, and the tail itself also seems to have been carried in an erect situation  ...  But as it clearly belongs to the Gallinaceous order, it might have place after the Menura, and form a Genus by the name of Alectura, unless one more appropriate may be found, on account of its manners, which at present are unknown." (Latham 1824); "Alectura Latham, Gen. Hist. Bds., 10, 1824, p. 455. Type, by monotypy, "the New Holland Vulture" = Alectura lathami J. E. Gray." (Peters, 1934, II, p. 7).
Synon. Catheturus.
• (Tyrannidae; syn. Alectrurus † Cock-tailed Tyrant A. tricolor) "From Gubernetes we are immediately led into the circle of the Fluvicolinæ by  ALECTURA which is a no less remarkable type; three species only are as yet known, and these are very singular little birds; their size is not bigger than that of a robin, but their head is enormous from the quantity of feathers upon the crown, while the tail, as already remarked, is erect and compressed, very much like that of a cock.  ...  These "little cocks," as Azara calls them, seem in their habits to be true water-chats   ...   M. Vieillot, in the first instance, adopted Azara's views, and termed the group Alecturus   ...   COCK-TAILED WATER-CHAT.  Alectura Azarii, SWAINS.  ...  Muscicapa alectura, Pl. Col. 155  ...  Muscicapa alecturus, Vieill. Gal. Pl. 132" (Swainson 1838); "Alectura Swainson, 1838, Naturalists Library, Ornith., X, The Muscicapidae, p. 94 (not of Latham, 1824).  Type by virtual monotypy, Alectura azarii Swainson, 1838 = Gallita tricolor Vieillot, 1816." (JAJ 2020).

alectura
Gr. αλεκτωρ alektōr, αλεκτορος alektoros  cockerel; -ουρος -ouros  -tailed  < ουρα oura  tail.

lathami / lathamii
Dr John Latham (1740-1837) English ornithologist (syn. Aegolius harrisii (ex “Rufous Owl” of Latham 1821), Alectura (ex “New Holland Vulture” of Latham 1821), syn. Aviceda leuphotes, syn. Calliope calliope, syn. Calorhamphus fuliginosus (ex “Buff-faced Barbet” of Latham 1782), Calyptorhynchus (ex “Banksian Cockatoo, var. B” of Latham 1802), syn. Colaptes cafer, syn. Daphoenositta chrysoptera, Emberiza, syn. Eos bornea, syn. Falco columbarius, syn. Fratercula cirrhata, syn. Hierococcyx varius, syn. Lathamus discolor (ex “Perruche Latham” of Levaillant 1801), Lophura, Peliperdix, syn. Petroica rodinogaster, subsp. Poecile cinctus, subsp. Quelea quelea, syn. Sericornis citreogularis, syn. Stagonopleura guttata, syn. Tachybaptus ruficollis, syn. Threskiornis spinicollis, syn. Trachyphonus vaillantii, syn. Tragopan satyra, syn. Tringa stagnatilis).

SUBSPECIES

Australian Brushturkey (purpureicollis)
SCI Name: Alectura lathami purpureicollis
purpureicollis
L. purpureus  purple-coloured  < purpura  purple  < Gr. πορφυρα porphura  purple; Mod. L. -collis  -necked, -throated  < L. collum  neck.

Australian Brushturkey (lathami)
SCI Name: Alectura lathami lathami
lathami / lathamii
Dr John Latham (1740-1837) English ornithologist (syn. Aegolius harrisii (ex “Rufous Owl” of Latham 1821), Alectura (ex “New Holland Vulture” of Latham 1821), syn. Aviceda leuphotes, syn. Calliope calliope, syn. Calorhamphus fuliginosus (ex “Buff-faced Barbet” of Latham 1782), Calyptorhynchus (ex “Banksian Cockatoo, var. B” of Latham 1802), syn. Colaptes cafer, syn. Daphoenositta chrysoptera, Emberiza, syn. Eos bornea, syn. Falco columbarius, syn. Fratercula cirrhata, syn. Hierococcyx varius, syn. Lathamus discolor (ex “Perruche Latham” of Levaillant 1801), Lophura, Peliperdix, syn. Petroica rodinogaster, subsp. Poecile cinctus, subsp. Quelea quelea, syn. Sericornis citreogularis, syn. Stagonopleura guttata, syn. Tachybaptus ruficollis, syn. Threskiornis spinicollis, syn. Trachyphonus vaillantii, syn. Tragopan satyra, syn. Tringa stagnatilis).