European Shag

SCI Name:  Phalacrocorax aristotelis
Protonym:  Pelecanus aristotelis FaunaSvecica.ed.2 p.23
Taxonomy:  Suliformes / Phalacrocoracidae / Phalacrocorax
Taxonomy Code:  eursha1
Type Locality:  Sweden.
Author:  Linnaeus
Publish Year:  1761
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

PHALACROCORAX
(Phalacrocoracidae; Ϯ Great Cormorant P. carbo) L. phalacrocorax, phalacrocoracis  cormorant  < Gr. φαλακροκοραξ phalakrokorax,  φαλακροκορακος phalakrokorakos  cormorant  < φαλακρος phalakros  bald-headed  < φαλος phalos  white; ακρος akros  topmost; κοραξ korax, κορακος korakos  raven  < κρωζω krōzō  to croak; "LE CORMORAN  ...  PHALACROCORAX  ...  Juxta maris littora versatur, paludesque frequentat. Modo in rupibus, modo in arboribus excelsis nidificat" (Brisson 1760): based on "Phalacrocorax" and "Corvus aquaticus" of many authors, "Carbo aquaticus" of Gessner 1555, and Linnaeus 1748, "Morfex" of Gessner 1555, Aldrovandus 1599-1603, Jonston 1650-1653, and Charleton 1668, "Nonnullis" of Gessner 1555, Schwenckfeld 1603, and Klein 1750, "Pelecanus subtus albicans" of Linnaeus 1746, "Plancus Corvus" of Klein 1750, and Pelecanus Carbo Linnaeus, 1758; "Phalacrocorax Brisson, Orn., 1, 1760, p. 60. Type, by tautonymy, Phalacrocorax = Pelecanus carbo Linné." (Peters 1931, 1, 85). The Great Cormorant was formerly trained in England to catch fish, but that necessary pastime can now only be seen in the Far East.   
Var. Phalaciocorax, Phalocrocorax, Phalarocorax, Phelacrocorax.   
Synon. Anacarbo, Botaurites, Carbo, Carbonarius, Compsohalieus, Cormoranus, Dilophalieus, Ecmeles, Enygrotheres, Euleucocarbo, Graculus, Graucalus, Gripeus, Gulosus, Halieus, Hydrocorax, Hypoleucus, Leucocarbo, Mesocarbo, Nannopterum, Nesocarbo, Notocarbo, Oligocorax, Pallasicarbo, Paracorax, Pliocarbo, Poikilocarbo, Pseudocarbo, Stictocarbo, Urile, Viguacarbo.
● (syn. Rynchops Ϯ Black Skimmer R. niger) "109. ZWEMMERGANS, in het Latyn Phalacrocorax.  Vogel van Madras met een scheermes-snabel.  PETIVER by RAY. Syn. Av. 194. f. 5." (Moehring 1758).

phalacrocorax
L. phalacrocorax, phalacrocoracis  cormorant  < Gr. φαλακροκοραξ phalakrokorax, φαλακροκορακος phalakrokorakos  cormorant  < φαλακρος phalakros  bald-headed  < φαλος phalos  white; ακρος akros  topmost; κοραξ korax, κορακος korakos  raven  < κρωζω krōzō  to croak.
● ex Phalacrocorax Brisson, 1760 (syn. Phalacrocorax carbo).

aristotelis
Aristotle (384-322 BC) Greek philospher, historian and naturalist whose work Ton peri ta zoia historion (‘Enquiry concerning animals’ / ‘Historia animalium’) in ten books can be considered the beginnings of descriptive zoology (Phalacrocorax).

SUBSPECIES

European Shag (Atlantic)
SCI Name: Phalacrocorax aristotelis aristotelis
aristotelis
Aristotle (384-322 BC) Greek philospher, historian and naturalist whose work Ton peri ta zoia historion (‘Enquiry concerning animals’ / ‘Historia animalium’) in ten books can be considered the beginnings of descriptive zoology (Phalacrocorax).

European Shag (Mediterranean)
SCI Name: Phalacrocorax aristotelis desmarestii
desmaresti / desmarestii
Anselme Gætan Desmarest (1784-1838) French zoologist (syn. Dicaeum hirundinaceum, subsp. Phalacrocorax aristotelis, syn. Platysteira cyanea ♀, Psittaculirostris, Tangara (ex “Tangara rouverdin, femelle” of Desmarest 1805), syn. Tangara viridissima (ex “Tanagra gyrola” of Swainson 1829)).

European Shag (Moroccan)
SCI Name: Phalacrocorax aristotelis riggenbachi
riggenbachi
Fritz Wilhelm Riggenbach (1864-1944) Swiss collector in north-west Africa and tropical West Africa (syn. Accipiter badius, syn. Campethera punctuligera, subsp. Crithagra leucopygia, subsp. Galerida cristata, subsp. Indicator minor, subsp. Oenanthe leucura, subsp. Phalacrocorax aristotelis, syn. Salpornis salvadori emini).