Babbling Starling

SCI Name:  Neocichla gutturalis
Protonym:  Crateropus gutturalis J.Sci.Math.Phys.Nat.Lisboa(1), 3 p.272
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Sturnidae / Neocichla
Taxonomy Code:  babsta1
Type Locality:  Huilla, Angola.
Author:  Bocage
Publish Year:  1871
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

NEOCICHLA
(Sturnidae; Ϯ Babbling Starling N. gutturalis) Gr. νεος neos  new, strange; κιχλη kikhlē  thrush; "199. NEOCICHLA GUTTURALIS.  Anchieta's Babbling-Thrush.  [The present bird was described by Professor Barboza du Bocage as a Crateropus, but he pointed out at the time that it was rather an aberrant member of the genus. Having sent the type to England for the purpose of being figured in his new work, I enjoyed the opportunity of examining it, and I find that, although closely allied to Crateropus and to Cichladusa, it differs from both in the shortness of the first primary, which does not nearly equal the tarsus in length, whereas in both the above-named genera this quill is as long or even longer than the tarsus.  Again the upper tail-coverts are extremely long, falling short of the tip of the tail only by 1¼ times the length of the tarsus, whereas in the other two genera the distance between the tip of the upper tail-coverts and that of the tail itself is more than double the length of the tarsus. I therefore propose the name of Neocichla for it.]" (Sharpe 1876).

gutturalis
Med. L. gutturalis  of the throat  < L. guttur, gutturis  throat.
● ex “Plastron Noir” of Levaillant 1801-1804, pl. 123 (syn. Apalis thoracica).
● ex “Manakin à gorge blanche” of Brisson 1760 (Corapipo).
● ex “Guttural Thrush” of Latham 1787 (syn. Pachycephala pectoralis).
● ex “Martinet à Gorge Blanche” of Levaillant 1807, pl. 243 (syn. Tachymarptis melba africana).
● ex “Merle à collier du cap de bonne Espérance” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 272 (syn. Telophorus zeylonus).

SUBSPECIES

Babbling Starling (Western)
SCI Name: Neocichla gutturalis gutturalis
gutturalis
Med. L. gutturalis  of the throat  < L. guttur, gutturis  throat.
● ex “Plastron Noir” of Levaillant 1801-1804, pl. 123 (syn. Apalis thoracica).
● ex “Manakin à gorge blanche” of Brisson 1760 (Corapipo).
● ex “Guttural Thrush” of Latham 1787 (syn. Pachycephala pectoralis).
● ex “Martinet à Gorge Blanche” of Levaillant 1807, pl. 243 (syn. Tachymarptis melba africana).
● ex “Merle à collier du cap de bonne Espérance” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 272 (syn. Telophorus zeylonus).

Babbling Starling (Eastern)
SCI Name: Neocichla gutturalis angusta
angusta / anguste
L. angustus  narrow, small, short, restrained, difficult.