Black-tailed Leaftosser

SCI Name:  Sclerurus caudacutus
Protonym:  Thamnophilus caudacutus Nouv.Dict.Hist.Nat. 3 p.310
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Furnariidae / Sclerurus
Taxonomy Code:  bltlea1
Type Locality:  Guiana = French Guiana.
Author:  Vieillot
Publish Year:  1816
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

SCLERURUS
(Furnariidae; Ϯ Black-tailed Leaftosser S. caudacutus) Gr. σκληρος sklēros  stiff; ουρα oura  tail; "The shaft of the tail feathers is stiff and its tip is very sharp" (Vaurie 1980); "SCLERURUS.  Rostrum sub-elongatum vel longiusculum, emarginatum, obtusum; culmine versusapicem leviter arcuato.  Alæ mediocres, rotundatæ, remigibus 1^ma et 2^da gradatis, 3^tia, 4^ta et 5^ta æqualibus, longissimis.  Cauda lata, rigida, rotundata.  Pedes graciles, breves, digito exteriore prima phalange tenus medio conjuncto, interiore ad basin connexo; halluce gracili, subcurvato, leviter emarginato." (Swainson 1827); "Sclerurus Swainson, Zool. Journ., 3, 1827, p. 356. Generic characters only; species added,² Cabanis, Arch. Naturg., 13, 1847, Bd. 1, p. 231. Type, by subsequent designation, Thamnophilus caudacutus Vieillot (Cabanis, loc. cit.).   ...   ² The two specific names associated with this genus by Swainson in Classif. Bds., 2, 1837, p. 315 are both nomina nuda." (Peters 1951, VII, 148).
Var. Scelurus.
Synon. Geooecia, Oxypyga, Tinactor.

caudacuta / caudacutus
L. cauda  tail; acutus  sharp-pointed  < acuere  to sharpen to a point.
● ex “Sharp-tailed Oriole” of Latham 1782, and Pennant 1785 (Ammospiza).
● ex “Cola de agujas” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 227 (Culicivora).

SUBSPECIES

Black-tailed Leaftosser (caudacutus)
SCI Name: Sclerurus caudacutus caudacutus
caudacuta / caudacutus
L. cauda  tail; acutus  sharp-pointed  < acuere  to sharpen to a point.
● ex “Sharp-tailed Oriole” of Latham 1782, and Pennant 1785 (Ammospiza).
● ex “Cola de agujas” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 227 (Culicivora).

Black-tailed Leaftosser (insignis)
SCI Name: Sclerurus caudacutus insignis
insignis
L. insignis  extraordinary, remarkable, notable (e.g. very large)  < in   towards; signum  mark.

Black-tailed Leaftosser (brunneus)
SCI Name: Sclerurus caudacutus brunneus
brunneus
Mod. L. brunneus  brown  < Med. L. brunius  brown.
● ex “Mauvis de la Caroline” (= ♀) of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 556, fig. 2 (syn. Euphagus carolinus).

Black-tailed Leaftosser (olivascens)
SCI Name: Sclerurus caudacutus olivascens
olivascens
Mod. L. olivascens, olivascentis  somewhat olive  < L. oliva  olive.

Black-tailed Leaftosser (pallidus)
SCI Name: Sclerurus caudacutus pallidus
pallidum / pallidus
L. pallidus  pallid, pale, wan, sallow  < pallere  to be pale.
● ex “Pale Thrush” of Latham 1783 (Turdus).

Black-tailed Leaftosser (umbretta)
SCI Name: Sclerurus caudacutus umbretta
umbretta
● Mod. L. umbretta  deep-brown, earth-brown colour  < L. umbra  shade (Sclerurus).
● French name “Ombrette” given to the Hamerkop because of its uniform umber or earthy-brown colour  < Italian terra d’ombra  shadow earth; ex “Scopus” of Brisson 1760, “Ombrette du Sénégal” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 796, “Ombrette” of de Buffon 1770-1783, “Umbre” of Brown 1776, and “Tufted Umbre” of Latham 1785: “[crest] as well as the whole body, is of an uniform brown colour, most like that of Umber” (Scopus).