California Condor

SCI Name:  Gymnogyps californianus
Protonym:  Vultur californianus Nat.Misc. 9 pl.301,text
Taxonomy:  Cathartiformes / Cathartidae / Gymnogyps
Taxonomy Code:  calcon
Type Locality:  coast of California.
Author:  Shaw
Publish Year:  1797
IUCN Status:  Critically Endangered

DEFINITIONS

GYMNOGYPS
(Cathartidae; Ϯ California Condor G. californianus) Gr. γυμνος gumnos  bare, naked; γυψ gups, γυπος gupos  vulture; the bare-headed California Condor teetered on the brink of extinction, but, thanks to extensive conservation efforts, has now been reintroduced to parts of its former range in the western USA; "11^e Genre: GYMNOGYPS, Lesson; Cathartes, Temm.; sarcoramphus, Vigers [sic].  Am. orientale.   12. Gymnogyps californianus, Less.; Vultur californianus, Latham; Shaw, misc. ix, pl. 301; Lewis et Clark, It. 3, p. 48; Douglas, Zool. Journ. iv, 328; Cathartes vulturinus, Temm., pl. col. 31; Cathartes californianus, Bon., 22; Sarcoramphus californianus, Vig., Zool. Journ. 2, 375; Swainson, north. zool. p. 1; Nuttal, 1, 39.  Hab. la Californie." (Lesson 1842); "Gymnogyps Lesson, Écho du Monde Savant (2), 6, 1842, p. 1037. Type, by monotypy, Vultur californianus Shaw." (Peters, 1931, I, p. 191).
Synon. Antillovultur, Geronogyps, Pseudogryphus.

californiana / californianus / californica
California  < myth. Queen Calafia, who ruled an island paradise rich in gold and peopled by Amazons, created (c. 1500) by Spanish novelist Rodriguez de Montalvo.
● Alta California, Mexico (Aphelocoma, Geococcyx).
● California, USA (syn. Buteo regalis).
● Alta California, New Spain (Callipepla, Gymnogyps).