California Scrub-Jay

SCI Name:  Aphelocoma californica
Protonym:  Garrulus californicus Zool.Beechey'sVoy. p.21 pl.V
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Corvidae / Aphelocoma
Taxonomy Code:  cowscj1
Type Locality:  Monterey [= Monterey County, California].
Author:  Vigors
Publish Year:  1839
IUCN Status:  

DEFINITIONS

APHELOCOMA
(Corvidae; Ϯ Western Scrub Jay A. californica) Gr. αφελης aphelēs  smooth, sleek, simple  < negative prefix α- a- ; φελλευς phelleus  stony ground; κομη komē  hair; "Von Cyanocitta könnte, durch schwächeren Schnabel, durch den Mangel des Federschopfes und sonst noch abweichend, als eigene Gruppe gesondert werden:  Gen. Aphelocoma n. gen.  (von αφελης schlicht und κομη, η, Haupthaar.)  1. A. californica — Garrulus californicus Vig. Cyanocitta superciliosa Strickl.  —  2. A. Sieberi. — Pica Sieberi Wagl.; Garrulus sordidus Sws.   3. A. ultramarina. — Garrulus ultramarinus Bonap. —  4. A. floridana. — Corvus floridanus Bartram; Garrulus floridanus Bonap." (Cabanis 1853); "Aphelocoma Cabanis, 1851 [= 1853], Mus. Hein., 1, sign. 28, p. 221. Type, by subsequent designation (Baird, in Baird, Cassin, and Lawrence, 1858, Rep. Expl. and Surv. R. R. Pac., 9, p. 584), Garrulus californicus Vigors." (Blake in Peters, 1962, XV, p. 210).
Synon. Garrulina, Sieberocitta.

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).

SUBSPECIES

California Scrub-Jay (immanis)
SCI Name: Aphelocoma californica immanis
immanis
L. immanis  monstrous, fierce, savage  < in-  not; manus (an old form of bonus)  good.

California Scrub-Jay (caurina)
SCI Name: Aphelocoma californica caurina
caurina / caurinum / caurinus / caurus
L. caurinus of the northwest wind, north-western < caurus northwest wind.

California Scrub-Jay (oocleptica)
SCI Name: Aphelocoma californica oocleptica
oocleptica
Gr. ωον ōon  egg; κλεπτικος kleptikos  thievish  < κλεπτης kleptēs  thief.

California Scrub-Jay (californica)
SCI Name: Aphelocoma californica californica
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).

California Scrub-Jay (cana)
SCI Name: Aphelocoma californica cana
cana
L. canus grey, hoary.
● ex “Echenilleur Gris” of Levaillant 1805, pll. 162, 163 (syn. Coracina caesia).
● ex “Muscicapa madagascariensis cinerea major” of Brisson 1760, “Grand Gobe-mouche cendré de Madagascar” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 541, “Kinki-manou de Madagascar” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Ash-coloured Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (syn. Coracina cinerea).
● ex “Ash-coloured Heron” of Pennant 1787 (syn. Nycticorax nycticorax).
● ex “Figuier cendré à gorge cendrée” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Grey-throated Warbler” of Latham 1783 and Pennant 1785 (syn. Polioptila caerulea).
● ex “Héoro-taire gris” of Audebert & Vieillot 1802 (?syn. Ptilotula fusca).
● ex “Grey-headed Duck” of Brown 1776, “Oie sauvage à tête grise de la côte de Coromandel” of Sonnerat 1782, and “Grey-headed Goose” of Latham 1785 (Tadorna).
● "96. LOXIA.  ...  cana.  27. L. cana, remigibus rectricibusque fuscis, pedibus rubris.  Linaria cinerea orientalis. Edw. av. 179. t. 179. f. 1.  Habitat in Asia.  Margines rectricum & oris regio albida." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.).

California Scrub-Jay (obscura)
SCI Name: Aphelocoma californica obscura
obscura
L. obscurus  dark, dusky, covered, obscure.
● ex “Dusky Duck” of Pennant 1785, and Latham 1785 (syn. Anas rubripes).
● ex “Brown Tern” of Pennant 1768, and Latham 1785 (syn. Chlidonias niger).
● ex “Yacúhú” of de Azara 1802-1805, No. 335: “Yacús  ...  Asi llaman los Güaranís á tres páxaros  ...  á otro llamado Mitú” (Penelope).
● ex “Dusky Petrel” of Latham 1785 (?syn. Pterodroma alba; unident.).

California Scrub-Jay (cactophila)
SCI Name: Aphelocoma californica cactophila
cactophila / cactophilus
Botanical genus Cactus Linnaeus, 1753,  cactus  < L. cactus  prickly plant  < Gr. κακτος kaktos  spiny plant, identification uncertain; φιλος philos  loving  < φιλεω phileō  to love  < φιλος philos  lover.

California Scrub-Jay (hypoleuca)
SCI Name: Aphelocoma californica hypoleuca
hypoleuca
Gr. ὑπο hupo beneath; λευκος leukos white (cf. ὑπολευκος hupoleukos whitish).
● ex “Pico triqueño” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 123 (syn. Sporophila leucoptera).
● Gr. ὑπερλευκος huperleukos exceedingly white; “The name hypoleucus was evidently a lapsus for hyperleucus” (Gadow 1883) (Gymnorhina).