Double-toothed Kite

SCI Name:  Harpagus bidentatus
Protonym:  Falco bidentatus IndexOrn. 1 p.38
Taxonomy:  Accipitriformes / Accipitridae / Harpagus
Taxonomy Code:  dotkit1
Type Locality:  Cayenne.
Author:  Latham
Publish Year:  1790
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

HARPAGUS
(Accipitridae; Ϯ Double-toothed Kite H. bidentatus) L. harpago  rapacious person, harpy < Gr. ἁρπαζω harpazō  to seize or carry off by violence (cf. Harpagus (6^th cent. BC) Persian general who was forced to eat the flesh of his own son); "And although I do not in general wish to increase the number of genera belonging to the present family [Falconidae], until we have attained a more extensive and accurate knowledge of the species, I feel obliged for the sake of perspicuity to adopt the following genus, of which the type is the F. bidentatus, Lath.  HARPAGUS.  The essential characteristick of this group is the double tooth on both the upper and lower mandible. The wings, which correspond with those of the other Hawks, in being one third shorter than the tail, have the third and fourth quill feathers, which are the longest, of equal length. The tarsi are of moderate length and strength, and have the acrotarsia scutellated as in the latter groups of the present stirps [Accipitrina]. The nares are of a semicircular form, and the cere is naked. The F. Diodon of M. Temminck is to be referred to this genus" (Vigors 1824); "Harpagus Vigors, 1824, Zool. Journ., 1, p. 338.  Type, by subsequent designation (G. R. Gray, 1840, List Gen. Birds, p. 4), Falco bidentatus Latham." (Stresemann & Amadon in Peters, 1979, I, 2nd ed., p. 294).
Synon. Bidens, Diodon, Diplodon.

bidentata / bidentatus
Med. L. bidentatus  having two teeth, double-toothed  < L. bi-  two-  < bis  twice; dentatus  toothed  < dens, dentis  tooth; applied to spp. with two distinct notches on the upper mandible or maxilla.
● ex “Notched Falcon” of Latham 1787 (Harpagus).

SUBSPECIES

Double-toothed Kite (fasciatus)
SCI Name: Harpagus bidentatus fasciatus
fasciatum / fasciatus
Late L. fasciatus banded  < L. fascia  band, stripe.
● ex “Calao Longibande” of Levaillant 1807, pl. 233 (Lophoceros).
● ex “Gobe-mouche à poitrine tachetée de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 574, fig. 3 (Myiophobus).
● ex “Ynambuí” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 327 (syn. Nothura maculosa).
● ex “Merle des Moluques” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 257 (syn. Pitta moluccensis).
● ex “Gélinotte des Indes” of Sonnerat 1782 (syn. Pterocles indicus).

Double-toothed Kite (bidentatus)
SCI Name: Harpagus bidentatus bidentatus
bidentata / bidentatus
Med. L. bidentatus  having two teeth, double-toothed  < L. bi-  two-  < bis  twice; dentatus  toothed  < dens, dentis  tooth; applied to spp. with two distinct notches on the upper mandible or maxilla.
● ex “Notched Falcon” of Latham 1787 (Harpagus).