Eastern Rosella

SCI Name:  Platycercus eximius
Protonym:  Psittacus eximius Nat.Misc. 3 pl.93
Taxonomy:  Psittaciformes / Psittaculidae / Platycercus
Taxonomy Code:  easros1
Type Locality:  New Holland = New South Wales apud Mathews.
Author:  Shaw
Publish Year:  1792
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.

eximium / eximius
L. eximius  select, distinguished  < eximere  to take away  < emere  to purchase.

SUBSPECIES

Eastern Rosella (elecica)
SCI Name: Platycercus eximius elecica
elecica
Anagram of subsp. name Platycercus eximius cecilae Mathews, 1911 (= syn. Platycercus eximius elecica) (subsp. Platycercus eximius).

Eastern Rosella (eximius)
SCI Name: Platycercus eximius eximius
eximium / eximius
L. eximius  select, distinguished  < eximere  to take away  < emere  to purchase.

Eastern Rosella (diemenensis)
SCI Name: Platycercus eximius diemenensis
diemenensis / diemenianus / diemensis
Van Diemen’s Land / Tasmania, Australia (named after Antoon van Diemen (1593-1645) Dutch colonial administrator, Gov.-Gen. of the Dutch East Indies 1636-1645).
● Erroneous TL. Van Diemen’s Land (= Kangaroo I.) (syn. Dromaius baudinianus).
● Erroneous TL. Diemen’s Land (= New Caledonia) (Philemon).