Black-eared Fairy

SCI Name:  Heliothryx auritus
Protonym:  Trochilus auritus Syst.Nat. 1 pt1 p.493
Taxonomy:  Caprimulgiformes / Trochilidae / Heliothryx
Taxonomy Code:  bkefai1
Type Locality:  Cayenne.
Author:  Gmelin, JF
Publish Year:  1788
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

HELIOTHRYX
(Trochilidae; Ϯ Black-eared Fairy H. auritus) Gr. ἡλιος hēlios  sun; θριξ thrix, τριχος trikhos  hair; a Nahuatl/Aztec name Huitzilin for the hummingbird meant 'tresses-' or 'rays-of-the-sun'; "Heliothryx.   Arten. 1. Tr. auritus Gm.    2. — petasophorus P. M.   3. — scutatus Natter.   Hieher werden vielleicht alle die Arten zu stellen seyn, den denen der Edelsteinglanz des Gefieders an den eigenthümlich gebildeten Federn hinter dem Ohre hervortritt." (Boie 1831); "Heliothryx Boie, Isis von Oken, 1831, col. 547. Type, by subsequent designation, H. aurita (L.) = Trochilus auritus Gmelin. (G. R. Gray, List Gen. Bds., 1840, p. 14.)" (Peters, 1945, V, p. 126). 
Var. Heliotryx, Heliothrix, Heliothrys, Heliotrix, Heliotrys.

auritum / auritus
L. auritus  eared, long-eared  < auris  ear.
● ex “Mellisuga Cayennensis major” of Brisson 1760, “Oiseau-mouche à oreilles” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Violet-eared Humming-bird” of Latham 1782 (Heliothryx).
● ex “Sarcelle mâle de Madagascar” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 770 (Nettapus).
● ex "Cormoran dilophe" of Vieillot 1825 (Phalacrocorax).
● "68. COLYMBUS.  ...  auritus.  3. C. pedibus lobatis, capite nigro, auribus cristato-ferrugineis. Fn. Svec. 123.  Colymbus s. Podiceps minor. Aldr. orn. l. 19. c. 52. Will. orn. 258. t. 61. Sloan. jam. 2. p. 322. t. 271. f. 1. Raj. av. 125. Mars. danub. 82. t. 39. Alb. av. 2. p. 70. t. 76. Edw. av. 145. t. 145. & 96. l. 96.  Habitat in summis Europæ & Americæ lacubus.  Nidum natantem conficit." (Linnaeus 1758) (Podiceps).
● ex “Passarage Bustard” of Latham 1787 (syn. Sypheotides indicus).

SUBSPECIES

Black-eared Fairy (auritus)
SCI Name: Heliothryx auritus auritus
auritum / auritus
L. auritus  eared, long-eared  < auris  ear.
● ex “Mellisuga Cayennensis major” of Brisson 1760, “Oiseau-mouche à oreilles” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Violet-eared Humming-bird” of Latham 1782 (Heliothryx).
● ex “Sarcelle mâle de Madagascar” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 770 (Nettapus).
● ex "Cormoran dilophe" of Vieillot 1825 (Phalacrocorax).
● "68. COLYMBUS.  ...  auritus.  3. C. pedibus lobatis, capite nigro, auribus cristato-ferrugineis. Fn. Svec. 123.  Colymbus s. Podiceps minor. Aldr. orn. l. 19. c. 52. Will. orn. 258. t. 61. Sloan. jam. 2. p. 322. t. 271. f. 1. Raj. av. 125. Mars. danub. 82. t. 39. Alb. av. 2. p. 70. t. 76. Edw. av. 145. t. 145. & 96. l. 96.  Habitat in summis Europæ & Americæ lacubus.  Nidum natantem conficit." (Linnaeus 1758) (Podiceps).
● ex “Passarage Bustard” of Latham 1787 (syn. Sypheotides indicus).

Black-eared Fairy (phainolaemus)
SCI Name: Heliothryx auritus phainolaemus
phainolaema / phainolaemus
Gr. φαεινος phaeinos  brilliant, shining  < φαινω phainō  to shine; λαιμος laimos throat.

Black-eared Fairy (auriculatus)
SCI Name: Heliothryx auritus auriculatus
auriculata / auriculatus
Med. L. auriculatus  eared, having ears  < L. auricula  ear  < dim. auris  ear.
● ex “Héoro-taire à orielles jaunes” of Audebert & Vieillot 1802 (syn. Lichenostomus melanops).