Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark

SCI Name:  Eremopterix leucotis
Protonym:  Loxia leucotis Voy.Abyssin.[Salt] App. p.lx
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Alaudidae / Eremopterix
Taxonomy Code:  cbslar1
Type Locality:  Ethiopia.
Author:  Stanley
Publish Year:  1814
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

EREMOPTERIX
(Alaudidae; Ϯ Chestnut-backed Sparrow Lark E. leucotis melanocephala) Gr. ερημος erēmos  desert; πτερυξ pterux, πτερυγος pterugos  bird, winged creature; "Es gibt noch ein zahlloses Heer erotischer Finken, die jedoch bis jetzt chaotisch durch einander geworfen und keinseswegs in natürlichen Abtheilungen gesondert dastehen, auch müssen sie, je nachdem sie höhere oder niedere Formen repräsentiren, gestellt, und z. B. die steissschwänzigen Finken Dolychoeix, als die Spechte der Finken vor den Lerchen-Finken Eremopterix, angeführt werden; ich nenne so einige afrikanische Sperlinge mit außerst kurzen Zehen, ziemlich geraden Spornen, stark ausgeschnittenen Flügeln, hohem Schnabel und hellfarbigem Gefieder; und zähle hierzu otoleuca orucigera [sic] etc." (Kaup 1836); "Eremopterix Kaup, 1836, Das Thierreich, 2, Th. 1, p. 139, in text. Type, by subsequent designation, Fringilla otoleuca Temminck = Alauda melanocephala Lichtenstein (Bianchi, 1907, Bull. Acad. Imp. Sci. St. Pétersbourg (5), (1906), 25, p. 29)." (Peters, 1960, IX, p. 29).   
Var. Eremopteryx.   
Synon. Coraphites, Hovacorys, Megalotis, Pyrgilauda, Pyrrhulauda.

leucotis
Gr. λευκος leukos white; -ωτις -ōtis -eared < ους ous, ωτος ōtos ear.
● ex “Fourmilier à oreilles blanches de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 822, and “White-eared Manakin” of Latham 1783 (syn. Conopophaga aurita).

SUBSPECIES

Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark (melanocephalus)
SCI Name: Eremopterix leucotis melanocephalus
melanocephala / melanocephalon / melanocephalos / melanocephalum / melanocephalus
Gr. μελας melas, μελανος melanos  black; -κεφαλος -kephalos  -headed  < κεφαλη kephalē  head.
● ex “Black-headed Shrike” of Latham 1783 (syn. Brachypodius atriceps).
● ex “Pato cabeza negra” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 438 (syn. Heteronetta atricapilla).
● ex “Manakin à tête noire de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 303, fig. 1 (syn. Manacus manacus).
● "44. PSITTACUS.  ...  melanocephalus.  33. P. brachiurus viridis subtus luteus, pileo nigro, pectore albo. Mus. Ad. Fr. 2. p.  Psittacus coccineus, ventre albo. Edw. av. 169. t. 169.  Habitat in Mexico." (Linnaeus 1758) (Pionites).
● "96. LOXIA.  ...  melanocephala.  26. L. lutea, capite atro.  Coccothraustes gambogia. Alb. av. 3. p. 58. t. 62.  Habitat in Gvinea." (Linnaeus 1758) (Ploceus).
● ex “Pluvian du Sénégal” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 918, and de Buffon 1770-1786, and “Black-headed Plover” of Latham 1785 (syn. Pluvianus aegyptius).
● ex “Black-headed Ibis” of Latham 1787, and “Tantalus de Macé” of Cuvier 1804 (Threskiornis).
● ex “Black-headed Roller” of Latham 1787 (syn. Urocissa erythrorhyncha).
● ex “Pie Bleue à Tête Noire” of Levaillant 1800, pl. 58 (unident.; ?syn. Urocissa sp.).

Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark (leucotis)
SCI Name: Eremopterix leucotis leucotis
leucotis
Gr. λευκος leukos white; -ωτις -ōtis -eared < ους ous, ωτος ōtos ear.
● ex “Fourmilier à oreilles blanches de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 822, and “White-eared Manakin” of Latham 1783 (syn. Conopophaga aurita).

Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark (madaraszi)
SCI Name: Eremopterix leucotis madaraszi
madaraszi
Dr Gyula János István Madarász (1858-1931) Hungarian ornithologist, Curator of Bird Department, Hungarian National Mus. 1881-1915 (subsp. Chloris chloris, subsp. Eremopterix leucotis, subsp. Colluricincla megarhyncha, syn. Corvus macrorhynchos culminatus, syn. Crithagra mozambica, syn. Galerida cristata meridionalis, syn. Neafrapus boehmi sheppardi, syn. Oriolus flavocinctus, Psittacella, subsp. Xanthotis flaviventer).

Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark (smithi)
SCI Name: Eremopterix leucotis smithi
smithi
● Sir Andrew Smith (1797-1872) Scottish zoologist, ethnologist, explorer in South Africa, first Superintendent of Cape Town Mus. 1825 (syn. Caprimulgus europaeus, syn. Cisticola fulvicapilla ruficapilla, subsp. Eremopterix leucotis, syn. Fulmarus glacialoides, syn. Mirafra africanoides, syn. Terpsiphone viridis granti, Turdus).
● Dr Gideon B. Smith (1793-1867) US entomologist, subscriber to Audubon’s work (syn. Calcarius pictus).
● Austin Paul Smith (1881-1948) US collector in Mexico 1909, Costa Rica and Panama 1920-1937 (syn. Catharus mexicanus, syn. Haemorhous mexicanus frontalis).
● Dr Hugh McCormick Smith (1865-1941) US ichthyologist, explorer in the Philippines 1907-1910, US Bureau of Fisheries 1886-1922, Fisheries Advisor in Thailand 1923-1934, Curator of Zoology Smithsonian Inst. 1935-1941 (syn. Niltava vivida oatesi, syn. Pelargopsis capensis gigantea, subsp. Pellorneum ruficeps).
● Dr Harry Madison Smith (b. 1918) US zoologist, collector in Burma 1951-1952 (subsp. Timalia pileata).
● Dr Arthur Donaldson Smith (1864-1939) US big-game hunter, naturalist, collector in Abyssinia and Somaliland 1894-1895 (subsp. Prinia rufifrons, subsp. Turdoides leucopygia, syn. Zosterops abyssinicus jubaensis).
● see smithii

Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark (hoeschi)
SCI Name: Eremopterix leucotis hoeschi
hoeschi / hoeschianus
Walter Hoesch (1896-1961) German farmer, naturalist, collector, resident in Namibia 1930-1961 (subsp. Ammomanopsis grayi, Anthus, syn. Calendulauda sabota waibeli, syn. Cercomela familiaris angolensis, subsp. Emarginata tractrac, subsp. Eremopterix leucotis, syn. Peliperdix coqui).