Black-headed Cuckooshrike

SCI Name:  Lalage melanoptera
Protonym:  Ceblepyris melanoptera Mus.Senckenb. 3 p.25 pl.2 fig.1
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Campephagidae / Lalage
Taxonomy Code:  bkhcus1
Type Locality:  New Holland?; error = Bhadwar, Kangra District, Punjab, as fixed by Delacour, 1951, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1497, p. 15.
Author:  Rüppell
Publish Year:  1839
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

LALAGE
(Campephagidae; Ϯ Pied Triller L. nigra) Gr. λαλαξ lalax, λαλαγος lalagos or λαλαγες lalages  unidentified bird mentioned by Hesychius  < λαλαζω lalazō  to chirp or chirrup (cf. this name is also identified with a green tree frog); "IX. Fam.  Myiotheridae.   ...   Lalage: Turdus orientalis Gm. enl. 273 fig. 2. u. s. w." (Boie 1826); "Lalage Boie, 1826, Isis, col. 973. Type, by monotypy, Turdus orientalis Gmelin = Turdus niger Forster." (Mayr in Peters 1960, IX, 196).   
Synon. Acanthinotus, Coquus, Diaphoropterus, Erucivora, Karua, Oscarornis, Oxynotus, Perissolalage, Pseudolalage, Symmorphus.

melanoptera
Gr. μελανοπτερος melanopteros  black-winged  < μελας melas, μελανος  melanos  black; -πτερος -pteros  -winged  < πτερον pteron wing.
● “The correct name of this bird is somewhat difficult to determine. It was first obtained by Dr A. von Nordmann in south Russia, and sent to the Imperial Society of Naturalists of Moscow under the manuscript name of G. melanoptera. This was altered by the editor of the Society’s publications - Fischer - with the approbation of the Society, to nordmanni, but the original description was drawn up by Nordmann himself” (BOU 1915) (syn. Glareola nordmanni).
● ex “Grand Martin-pêcheur de Madagascar” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 232 (syn. Halcyon smyrnensis).
● ex “Paloma montés” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 319 (syn. Patagioenas cayennensis sylvestris).
● ex “Muscicapa senegalensis torquata” of Brisson 1760, “Gobe-mouche à gorge rousse du Sénégal” of d’Aubenton 1765-1782, pl. 567, fig. 3, “Gobe-mouche à gorge brune du Sénégal” of de Buffon 1770-1786, and “Collared Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (syn. Platysteira cyanea).

SUBSPECIES

Black-headed Cuckooshrike (melanoptera)
SCI Name: Lalage melanoptera melanoptera
melanoptera
Gr. μελανοπτερος melanopteros  black-winged  < μελας melas, μελανος  melanos  black; -πτερος -pteros  -winged  < πτερον pteron wing.
● “The correct name of this bird is somewhat difficult to determine. It was first obtained by Dr A. von Nordmann in south Russia, and sent to the Imperial Society of Naturalists of Moscow under the manuscript name of G. melanoptera. This was altered by the editor of the Society’s publications - Fischer - with the approbation of the Society, to nordmanni, but the original description was drawn up by Nordmann himself” (BOU 1915) (syn. Glareola nordmanni).
● ex “Grand Martin-pêcheur de Madagascar” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 232 (syn. Halcyon smyrnensis).
● ex “Paloma montés” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 319 (syn. Patagioenas cayennensis sylvestris).
● ex “Muscicapa senegalensis torquata” of Brisson 1760, “Gobe-mouche à gorge rousse du Sénégal” of d’Aubenton 1765-1782, pl. 567, fig. 3, “Gobe-mouche à gorge brune du Sénégal” of de Buffon 1770-1786, and “Collared Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (syn. Platysteira cyanea).

Black-headed Cuckooshrike (sykesi)
SCI Name: Lalage melanoptera sykesi
sykesi / sykesii
Col. William Henry Sykes MP (1790-1872) British Army in India 1804-1837, zoologist, founder member of Royal Statistical Society 1835, Director East India Co. 1840-1858, Deputy/ Chairman East India Co. 1855-1856 (syn. Circus aeruginosus, syn. Hypothymis azurea styani, subsp. Lalage melanoptera, syn. Psilopogon viridis, syn. Turdoides striata somervillei, syn. Turnix sylvaticus dussumier).