Gibber Chat

SCI Name:  Ashbyia lovensis
Protonym:  Ephthianura lovensis Emu 10 p.251
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Meliphagidae / Ashbyia
Taxonomy Code:  descha1
Type Locality:  Leigh Creek, South Australia.
Author:  Ashby
Publish Year:  1911
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

ASHBYIA
(Meliphagidae; † Gibberbird A. lovensis) Edwin Ashby (1861-1941) English ornithologist, settled in Australia, founder member of RAOU; the Gibberbird is a terrestrial honeyeater confined to the stony plains (‘gibbers’) of central Australia; "Early in February, 1911, I received from Mr. Ashby, a printed "Description of a new Ephthianura" (in galley form), in which he had described the specimen in question, under the name of Ephthianura lovensis, thus associating it with the name of its discoverer, Mr. J. R. B. Love; but there is nothing in the description to indicate whether it is a reprint from any publication.  Mr. Ashby hesitatingly referred it to the genus Ephthianura, and states it "may, after further investigation, exhibit generic differences."  I beg to state emphatically that it is not an Ephthianura, and I have much pleasure in substituting for it, the generic distinction of Ashbyia, thereby connecting with it the name of Mr. Edwin Ashby, who for a number of years past has been doing good work in Australian Ornithology.   ORDER: - PASSERES.  Family: - TIMELIIDÆ.  Sub-Family: - Timeliinæ.  ASHBYIA, gen. nov.  Generic characters. - Like Ephthianura, to which it is possibly allied, but it is easily distinguished from that genus by its larger and more robust bill, especially at the base, and its longer and more pointed wings.  Type:- Ephthianura lovensis, Ashby.  Habitat:- Leigh's Creek, South Australia.   The termination used by Mr. Ashby in the specific name in describing this species, is, by the rules of zoological nomenclature, used only for naming a species after a locality or country; the correct scientific designation for this bird is Ashbyia lovei" (A. North 1911) (OD per Björn Bergenholtz); "Ashbyia North, Agric. Gazette N. S. W. vol. xxii. p. 211, March 2nd, 1911.  Type (by original designation): E. lovensis Ashby." (Mathews, 1930, Syst. Av. Austral., II, p. 588).

lovensis
Revd. James Robert Beattie Love (1889-1947) Irish missionary to Australia, translator of the gospels (Ashbyia).