Crimson Chat

SCI Name:  Epthianura tricolor
Protonym:  Ephthianura tricolor Proc.Zool.Soc.London(1840) (1840), Pt8 no.94 p.159
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Meliphagidae / Epthianura
Taxonomy Code:  cricha1
Type Locality:  South Australia.
Author:  Gould
Publish Year:  1841
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

EPTHIANURA
(Meliphagidae; Ϯ White-fronted Chat E. albifrons) Gr. εφθος ephthos  refined, languid; ουρα oura  tail; “Genus EPTHIANURA.  Bill shorter than the head, nearly straight, compressed laterally, notched at the tip, gonys incurved; nostrils basal, linear, and covered by a membrane; wings long, first quill spurious, second very long, third and fourth equal and longest; tertials very long; tail short and truncate; tarsi entire, moderately long, slight; toes slender, the hinder toe and claw shorter than the middle one, the inner toe rather shorter than the outer.   Type. Acanthiza albifrons, Jard. and Selb.    EPTHIANURA AURIFRONS.” (Gould 1838); “Mayr (in Mayr & Cottrell 1986) noted that Epthianura, as described in Gould’s ‘A Synopsis of the Birds of Australia’, part 4, App., p. 3, was corrected on p. 4 to Ephthianura ... An examination of two copies of this work reveals that Epthianura was used on both pages. What Gould thought of as his original description under this name was not published until some seven months after his Synopsis  ...  where Ephthianura was used. Gould used Ephthianura in July 1841 ...  and later again Ephthianura in the same year ...  In March and June 1842, in the relevant parts of ‘The Birds of Australia’ ...  Gould again used Epthianura ... However, in 1845 Gould used both Epthianura ...  and Ephthianura; ...  Ephthianura reappears in his ‘Introduction’ (1848c), then Epthianura in 1849 (Sturt & Gould 1849) and twice in 1861 ... then back to Ephthianura in his ‘Handbook’ (1865) ...  Obviously, Gould never came to a firm decision on his spelling of the name ...  In such a situation of inconsistent usage, it is best to retain the name as it was originally published in 1838” (McAllan & Bruce 1989).  
Var. Ephthianura, Ephthrianura, Hepthaenura.   
Synon. Aurepthianura, Cinura, Keartlandia, Leachena, Parepthianura.

tricolor / tricolora
Late L. tricolor, tricoloris  tricoloured  < L. tri- three-  < tres  three; color, coloris  colour.
● ex “Ara tricolor” of Levaillant 1801, pl. 5 (‡Ara).
● ex Certhia viridis Scopoli, 1768, “Green Creeper” of Latham 1781, and “Blue-rumped Creeper” of Latham 1787 (syn. Cinnyris afer).
● ex “Grimpereau olive des Philippines” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 576, fig. 4 (syn. Cinnyris jugularis).
● ex “Pitpit à coiffe bleue” of Mauduyt de la Varenne 1784 (syn. Dacnis lineata).
● ex "Héron bleuâtre à ventre blanc de Cayenne" of d'Aubenton 1765-1781, pl.350 (Egretta).
● ex “Azuvert” of Vieillot 1805 (Erythrura).
● ex “Baltimore bâtard du Canada” (= ♀) of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 506, fig. 2 (syn. Icterus galbula).
● ex “Quachochopitl” of Hernandez 1651, and Ray 1713, “Picus varius mexicanus major et minor” of Brisson 1760, “Épeiche du Méxique” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Varied Woodpecker” of Latham 1782 (unident. Picidae; ?Melanerpes sp.).
● ex “Choucas chauve de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 521 (Perissocephalus).
● ex “Malkoha Rouverdin” of Levaillant 1807, pl. 225 (syn. Rhamphococcyx curvirostris).
● ex “Oie de la côte de Coromandel” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 937 (syn. Sarkidiornis melanotos).
● ex “Figuier noir et jaune de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 391, fig. 2 (syn. Setophaga ruticilla).
● ex “Chorlito tarso comprimido” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 407 (Steganopus).
● ex “Tangara varié à teste verte de Cayenne” of Brisson 1760, “Tangara varié à tête verte de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 33, fig. 1, “Tricolor” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Green-headed Tanager” of Latham 1783 (syn. Tangara seledon).
● ex “Merle Tricolor à Longue Queue” of Levaillant 1802, pl. 114 (artefact).