Black Fantail

SCI Name:  Rhipidura atra
Protonym:  Rhipidura atra Ann.Mus.Civ.Stor.Nat.Genova 7(1875) p.922
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Rhipiduridae / Rhipidura
Taxonomy Code:  blafan1
Type Locality:  Hatam and Mori (= Mt. Moari), Arfak Mountains.
Author:  Salvadori
Publish Year:  1876
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

RHIPIDURA
(Rhipiduridae; Ϯ New Zealand Fantail R. fuliginosa) Gr. ῥιπις rhipis, ῥιπιδος rhipidos  fan; ουρα oura  tail; “Fan-tailed Fly-catcher  ... flies always with its tail spread in shape of a fan.” (Latham 1783); "Genus. RHIPIDURA*.  Rostrum breve, depressum, basi latum, apice compressum, culmine arcuato; mandibula superiore apice emarginata; naribus basalibus, ovalibus, setis plumulisque fere obtectis; rictu vibrissis confertis mandibulas longitudine fere superantibus instructo.  Alæ mediocres, subacuminatæ; remige prima brevissima, secunda duplo longiore, tertia et quarta, quæ est longissima, gradatim longioribus.  Cauda elongata, patula, apice rotundata.  Pedes mediocres, graciles, acrotarsiis paratarsiisque integris.  This group may be at once recognised as offering strong marks of distinction from the true Muscicapa in the fan-like structure of the tail.   ...   *'Pιπις flabellum, and ουρα cauda.   ...   1. FLABELLIFERA. ...  Muscicapa flabellifera. Gmel. i. 943. no. 67.  Fan-tailed Flycatcher. Lath. Gen. Hist. vi. p. 184. no. 44. pl. 99.  ...  Fantail.—There is something singular in the habits of this bird. It frequents the small trees and bushes, from whence it suddenly darts at its prey, spreading out its tail like a fan, and to appearance turning over like a tumbler Pigeon, and then immediately returning to the same twig or bough from whence it sprang.   ...   2. MOTACILLOIDES.  ...  It bears a great resemblance to the description of Dr. Latham's Motacilla atricapilla, or the Black-topped Flycatcher of his "General History," but differs in the colour of the bill, back and throat.   ...   3. RUFIFRONS.  ...  Muscicapa rufifrons. Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp. p. 1. no. 5.  Rufous-fronted Flycatcher.  Id. Gen. Hist. vi. p. 213. no. 95." (Vigors & Horsfield 1827); "Rhipidura Vigors and Horsfield, 1827, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, 15, p. 246. Type, by subsequent designation (G. R. Gray, 1840, List Gen. Birds, p. 32), Muscicapa flabellifera Gmelin [= Muscicapa fuliginosa Sparrman]." (Mayr in Peters 1986, XI, 530).
Var. Ripidura, Rhipadura, Rhissidura.
Synon. Cyanonympha, Howeavis, Leucocirca, Muscylva, Neomyias, Rhipidicidura, Ripidicala, Rupicula, Sauloprocta, Setosura.

rhipidura / rhipidurus
Gr. ῥιπις rhipis, ῥιπιδος rhipidos  fan; -ουρος -ouros  -tailed  < ουρα oura  tail.

atra
L. ater black, dark, dull, dusky, dead black (cf. niger shining black, glossy black, jet black).
● ex “Martinet à Croupion Blanc” of Levaillant 1807, pl. 244, fig. 1 (?syn. Apus caffer).
● ex “Lori noir de la Nouvelle Guinée” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Black Lory” of Latham 1781 (Chalcopsitta).
● ex “Ardea nigra” of Brisson 1760, “Héron noir” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Black Heron” of Latham 1785 (syn. Ciconia nigra).
● "82. FULICA.  ...  atra.  1. F. fronte calva, corpore nigro, digitis lobatis.  Fulica fronte calva æquali. Fn. svec. 130.  Fulica. Bell. av. 36. b. Gesn. av. 390. Aldr. orn. l. 19. c. 13. Will. orn. 239. t. 59. Raj. av. 116. Marsil. danub. 70. t. 33. Alb. av. I. p. 79. t. 83. Hasselq. act. ups. 1751. p. 22. itin. 262.  Habitat in Europa; hybernat in Gallia.  Edit Semina, Herbas; natat supraque aquam currit." (Linnaeus 1758) (Fulica).
● ex “Coucou noir de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 512 (Monasa).
● ex “Tordo grande” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 60 (syn. Scaphidura oryzivora).
● ex “Tangara à cravate noire de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 714, fig. 2, “Camail” or “Cravate” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Black-faced Tanager” of Latham 1783 (syn. Schistochlamys melanopis).
● ex “Gobe-mouche de l’île de Bourbon” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 572, fig. 3 (syn. Setophaga ruticilla).
● ex “Petite Bergeronnette du cap de bonne espérance” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “African Wagtail” of Latham 1783 (unident.).
● ex “Dusky Fly-catcher” of Pennant 1785 (unident.).

SUBSPECIES

Black Fantail (atra)
SCI Name: Rhipidura atra atra
atra
L. ater black, dark, dull, dusky, dead black (cf. niger shining black, glossy black, jet black).
● ex “Martinet à Croupion Blanc” of Levaillant 1807, pl. 244, fig. 1 (?syn. Apus caffer).
● ex “Lori noir de la Nouvelle Guinée” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Black Lory” of Latham 1781 (Chalcopsitta).
● ex “Ardea nigra” of Brisson 1760, “Héron noir” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Black Heron” of Latham 1785 (syn. Ciconia nigra).
● "82. FULICA.  ...  atra.  1. F. fronte calva, corpore nigro, digitis lobatis.  Fulica fronte calva æquali. Fn. svec. 130.  Fulica. Bell. av. 36. b. Gesn. av. 390. Aldr. orn. l. 19. c. 13. Will. orn. 239. t. 59. Raj. av. 116. Marsil. danub. 70. t. 33. Alb. av. I. p. 79. t. 83. Hasselq. act. ups. 1751. p. 22. itin. 262.  Habitat in Europa; hybernat in Gallia.  Edit Semina, Herbas; natat supraque aquam currit." (Linnaeus 1758) (Fulica).
● ex “Coucou noir de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 512 (Monasa).
● ex “Tordo grande” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 60 (syn. Scaphidura oryzivora).
● ex “Tangara à cravate noire de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 714, fig. 2, “Camail” or “Cravate” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Black-faced Tanager” of Latham 1783 (syn. Schistochlamys melanopis).
● ex “Gobe-mouche de l’île de Bourbon” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 572, fig. 3 (syn. Setophaga ruticilla).
● ex “Petite Bergeronnette du cap de bonne espérance” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “African Wagtail” of Latham 1783 (unident.).
● ex “Dusky Fly-catcher” of Pennant 1785 (unident.).

Black Fantail (vulpes)
SCI Name: Rhipidura atra vulpes
vulpes
L. vulpes, vulpis  fox (i.e. fox-coloured, tawny, russet).