Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike

SCI Name:  Prionops scopifrons
Protonym:  Sigmodus scopifrons J.Orn. 2 p.422
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Vangidae / Prionops
Taxonomy Code:  chfhel1
Type Locality:  Mozambique.
Author:  Peters, W
Publish Year:  1854
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

PRIONOPS
(Vangidae; Ϯ White-crested Helmet-shrike P. plumatus) Gr. πριων priōn, πριονος prionos  saw; ωψ ōps, ωπος ōpos  eye; “BAGADAIS, Prionops.  Bec emplumé à la base, tendu, très-comprimé latéralement; mandibule supérieure échancrée et crochue vers le bout; l'inférieure retroussée et aiguë à la pointe. — Paupières dentelées.   Esp. Le Geoffroy, Le Vaill.   ...   Prionops [πριων, serra, ωψ, oculus].” (Vieillot 1816); "Prionops Vieillot, 1816, Analyse, p. 41. Type, by monotypy, "Le Geoffroy" of Levaillant = Lanius plumatus Shaw." (Rand in Peters 1960, IX, 310).  This genus was formerly and widely separated in the family Prionopidae, and some modern workers still favour that treatment.
Var. Trinops, Trionops (Laurent Raty in litt.).
Synon. Eressornis, Knestrometopon, Phaidrometopon, Sigmodus.

scopifrons
L. scopa  broom; frons, frontis  forehead, brow.

SUBSPECIES

Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike (keniensis)
SCI Name: Prionops scopifrons keniensis
keneiensis / kenia / keniana / keniensis
Kenya or Mt. Kenya, formerly also spelled Kenia.

Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike (kirki)
SCI Name: Prionops scopifrons kirki
kirki / kirkii
● Dr Sir John Kirk (1832-1922) Scottish naturalist, colonial administrator, physician with David Livingstone on second Zambezi expedition 1858-1863, Consul to Zanzibar 1866-1887 (subsp. Chalcomitra amethystina, syn. Dendroperdix rovuma, subsp. Prionops scopifrons, syn. Pytilia melba soudanensis, subsp. Turdoides jardineii, Zosterops).
● John Kirk (fl. 1845) collector on Tobago (Veniliornis).

Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike (scopifrons)
SCI Name: Prionops scopifrons scopifrons
scopifrons
L. scopa  broom; frons, frontis  forehead, brow.