Crimson Rosella

SCI Name:  Platycercus elegans
Protonym:  Psittacus elegans Syst.Nat. 1 pt1 p.318
Taxonomy:  Psittaciformes / Psittaculidae / Platycercus
Taxonomy Code:  criros2
Type Locality:  No locality = New South Wales, apud Mathews, infra.
Author:  Gmelin, JF
Publish Year:  1788
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

PLATYCERCUS
(Psittacidae; Ϯ Crimson Rosella P. elegans) Gr. πλατυκερκος platukerkos  broad-tailed, flat-tailed  < πλατυς platus  broad; κερκος kerkos  tail; "Genus PLATYCERCUS.  Rostrum breviusculum, mandibula superiore rotundata, dilata, inferiore brevis, profunde emarginata, apice quadrato, myxa convexa, glabris integra: naribus rotundis, in ceromate angusto medio emarginato, positis.  Alæ rotundatæ; remigum, prima excepta, pogonio externo abrupte propre medium emarginato; prima 2^da breviore, 5^tæ præcipue æquali secunda et tertia longissimis.  Cauda lata depressa, subrotundata, gradata; rectricibus apice subrotundis.  Pedes, tarsis elevatis; acrotarsiis reticulatis; digitis gracilibus, elongatis; unguibus longis, parum falcatis.   Typus genericus, Ps. Pennantii, Lath.  The interesting group that forms the present division of the Psittacidæ, is at first sight immediately recognized as distinct from all those which are included under the general name of long-tailed Parrots, and which M. Kuhl has separated as a section with the title of Conurus, by the breadth, depression, and rounded apex of the tail: the greater number of the other groups in the same section having that member narrowed and cuneated.  The wings also like the tail are rounded, the first quill feather being shorter than the second; whereas in most of the neighbouring long-tailed groups the first and second quill feathers are of equal length.  All the primary quill feathers except the first are marked by an abrupt emargination of the outer web near the middle, which seems peculiar to the present division of the long-tailed Psittacidæ, with the exception of that of Pezoporus, Ill." (Vigors 1825); "Platycercus Vigors, Zool. Journ., 1, 1825, p. 527. Type, by original designation, Psittacus pennantii Latham = Psittacus elegans Gmelin." (Peters 1937, III, 260).  
Var. Platycircus, Platycercen.
Synon. Hesperopsittacus, Violania.

platycercus
Gr. πλατυκερκος platukerkos  broad-tailed, flat-tailed  < πλατυς platus  broad; κερκος kerkos  tail.

elegans
L. elegans, elegantis  elegant, fine  < elegere probably an early form of eligere   to select.
● ex “Pic jaune tacheté de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 524 (Celeus).
● ex “Bucco maynanensis” of Brisson 1760, “Barbu des Maynas” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 330, “Beau Tamatia” of de Buffon 1770-1786, and “Beautiful Barbet” of Latham 1782 (syn. Eubucco versicolor).
● ex “Perdix martineta” of de Azara 1802-1805 (Eudromia).
● ex “Tangara de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 114, fig. 1 (syn. Euphonia chlorotica).
● ex “Beautiful Lory” of Latham 1781, ?and “Pennantian Parrot” of Latham 1787 (Platycercus).
● ex “Kink de la Chine” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 617 (syn. Sturnia sinensis).

SUBSPECIES

Crimson Rosella (Crimson)
SCI Name: Platycercus elegans [elegans Group]
PLATYCERCUS
(Psittacidae; Ϯ Crimson Rosella P. elegans) Gr. πλατυκερκος platukerkos  broad-tailed, flat-tailed  < πλατυς platus  broad; κερκος kerkos  tail; "Genus PLATYCERCUS.  Rostrum breviusculum, mandibula superiore rotundata, dilata, inferiore brevis, profunde emarginata, apice quadrato, myxa convexa, glabris integra: naribus rotundis, in ceromate angusto medio emarginato, positis.  Alæ rotundatæ; remigum, prima excepta, pogonio externo abrupte propre medium emarginato; prima 2^da breviore, 5^tæ præcipue æquali secunda et tertia longissimis.  Cauda lata depressa, subrotundata, gradata; rectricibus apice subrotundis.  Pedes, tarsis elevatis; acrotarsiis reticulatis; digitis gracilibus, elongatis; unguibus longis, parum falcatis.   Typus genericus, Ps. Pennantii, Lath.  The interesting group that forms the present division of the Psittacidæ, is at first sight immediately recognized as distinct from all those which are included under the general name of long-tailed Parrots, and which M. Kuhl has separated as a section with the title of Conurus, by the breadth, depression, and rounded apex of the tail: the greater number of the other groups in the same section having that member narrowed and cuneated.  The wings also like the tail are rounded, the first quill feather being shorter than the second; whereas in most of the neighbouring long-tailed groups the first and second quill feathers are of equal length.  All the primary quill feathers except the first are marked by an abrupt emargination of the outer web near the middle, which seems peculiar to the present division of the long-tailed Psittacidæ, with the exception of that of Pezoporus, Ill." (Vigors 1825); "Platycercus Vigors, Zool. Journ., 1, 1825, p. 527. Type, by original designation, Psittacus pennantii Latham = Psittacus elegans Gmelin." (Peters 1937, III, 260).  
Var. Platycircus, Platycercen.
Synon. Hesperopsittacus, Violania.

Crimson Rosella (Yellow)
SCI Name: Platycercus elegans flaveolus
flaveola / flaveolus
L. flaveolus  yellowish  < dim. < flavus  golden, yellow.
● "59. CERTHIA.  ...  flaveola.  5. C. nigra, uropygio pectoreque luteo, superciliis macula alarum rectricumque apicibus albis.  Luscinia s. Philomela e fusco et luteo varia. Sloan. jam. 2. p. 307. t. 259. Raj. av. 187. n. 45. Edw. av. 122. t. 122.  Habitat in America." (Linnaeus 1758) (Coereba).
● "112. FRINGILLA.  ...  flaveola.  24. F. flava, fronte fulva, remigibus rectricibusque nigris flavo marginatis.  Habitat . . . . . Museum De Geer.  Corpus magnitudine & statura F. canariensis, flavissimum. Rostrum convexum, pallidum apice fusca. Frons fulva s. crocea. Dorsum flavo-virescens. Remiges Rectricesque nigræ utroque margine flava. Cauda forficata. Pedes pallidi." (Linnaeus 1766) (Sicalis).
● "97. EMBERIZA.  ...  flaveola.  10. E. grisea, facie flava.  Habitat in calidis regionibus.  Corpus magnitudine Ligurini. Frons & Gula flavæ." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.; nom. dub.).

Crimson Rosella (Adelaide)
SCI Name: Platycercus elegans adelaidae/subadelaidae
PLATYCERCUS
(Psittacidae; Ϯ Crimson Rosella P. elegans) Gr. πλατυκερκος platukerkos  broad-tailed, flat-tailed  < πλατυς platus  broad; κερκος kerkos  tail; "Genus PLATYCERCUS.  Rostrum breviusculum, mandibula superiore rotundata, dilata, inferiore brevis, profunde emarginata, apice quadrato, myxa convexa, glabris integra: naribus rotundis, in ceromate angusto medio emarginato, positis.  Alæ rotundatæ; remigum, prima excepta, pogonio externo abrupte propre medium emarginato; prima 2^da breviore, 5^tæ præcipue æquali secunda et tertia longissimis.  Cauda lata depressa, subrotundata, gradata; rectricibus apice subrotundis.  Pedes, tarsis elevatis; acrotarsiis reticulatis; digitis gracilibus, elongatis; unguibus longis, parum falcatis.   Typus genericus, Ps. Pennantii, Lath.  The interesting group that forms the present division of the Psittacidæ, is at first sight immediately recognized as distinct from all those which are included under the general name of long-tailed Parrots, and which M. Kuhl has separated as a section with the title of Conurus, by the breadth, depression, and rounded apex of the tail: the greater number of the other groups in the same section having that member narrowed and cuneated.  The wings also like the tail are rounded, the first quill feather being shorter than the second; whereas in most of the neighbouring long-tailed groups the first and second quill feathers are of equal length.  All the primary quill feathers except the first are marked by an abrupt emargination of the outer web near the middle, which seems peculiar to the present division of the long-tailed Psittacidæ, with the exception of that of Pezoporus, Ill." (Vigors 1825); "Platycercus Vigors, Zool. Journ., 1, 1825, p. 527. Type, by original designation, Psittacus pennantii Latham = Psittacus elegans Gmelin." (Peters 1937, III, 260).  
Var. Platycircus, Platycercen.
Synon. Hesperopsittacus, Violania.