Golden Babbler

SCI Name:  Cyanoderma chrysaeum
Protonym:  St[achyris] . chrysæa J.Asiat.Soc.Bengal 13 p.379
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Timaliidae / Cyanoderma
Taxonomy Code:  golbab1
Type Locality:  Nepal.
Author:  Blyth
Publish Year:  1844
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

CYANODERMA
(Timaliidae; Ϯ Chestnut-winged Babbler C. erythropterum) Gr. κυανος kuanos  dark-blue; δερμα derma, δερματος dermatos  skin, hide; "Gen. nov. Cyanoderma, SALVAD.  (da κυανεος azzurro, e δερμα pelle)  Differt novum genus Cyanoderma a genere Timelia rostro gracili, acuminato.   Sp. 226 (145). Cyanoderma erythropterum (BLYTH).   ...   Ho creduto di dover stabilire un nuovo genere per questa specie, a causa della forma del becco, diverso da quello delle specie tipiche del genera Timelia. Il nuovo genere Cyanoderma è caratterizzato dalla forma del becco sottile ed appuntato. Quel nome allude al colore azzurro della pelle della testa e del collo negl' individui vivi della specie tipica" (Salvadori 1874); "Cyanoderma Salvadori, 1874, Ann. Mus. Civ. Genova, 5, p. 213.  Type, by original designation, Timalia erythroptera Blyth." (Deignan in Peters, 1964, X, pp. 301-302).
Var. Cyanodesma.
Synon. Stachyridopsis.

chrysaeum / chrysaeus
Gr. χρυσειος khruseios  golden  < χρυσος khrusos  gold.
● “The name chrysotis is inapplicable to this species; and I think it must have been given by mistake for chrysæus, to which it was corrected later by Mr Hodgson. I have adopted the latter name in consequence, following Jerdon and others” (Sharpe 1883) (syn. Lioparus chrysotis).

SUBSPECIES

Golden Babbler (chrysaeum)
SCI Name: Cyanoderma chrysaeum chrysaeum
chrysaeum / chrysaeus
Gr. χρυσειος khruseios  golden  < χρυσος khrusos  gold.
● “The name chrysotis is inapplicable to this species; and I think it must have been given by mistake for chrysæus, to which it was corrected later by Mr Hodgson. I have adopted the latter name in consequence, following Jerdon and others” (Sharpe 1883) (syn. Lioparus chrysotis).

Golden Babbler (binghami)
SCI Name: Cyanoderma chrysaeum binghami
binghami
● Lt.-Col. Prof. Hiram Bingham (1875-1956) USAAF, historian, politician, Senator from Connecticut 1924-1933 (censured 1929), Lt.-Gov. of Connecticut 1923-1925, explorer who “rediscovered” the ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru 1911 (Conirostrum).
● Lt.-Col. Charles Thomas Bingham (1848-1908) British Army, ornithologist, entomologist in India and Burma (subsp. Cyanoderma chrysaeum, syn. Ixos mcclellandii tickelli).

Golden Babbler (auratum)
SCI Name: Cyanoderma chrysaeum auratum
auratum / auratus
L. auratus  gilded, ornamented with gold  < aurum  gold.
● ex “Barbu orangé du Pérou” of Levaillant 1806 (Capito).
● "52. CUCULUS.  ...  auratus.  8. C. cauda subforcipata, gula pectoreque nigris, nucha rubra.  Picus major, alis aureis. Catesb. car. I. p. 18. t. 18.  Habitat in Carolina.  Cauda refert Picum. Avis varia pulchra; rachis remigum primorum aurea." (Linnaeus 1758) (Colaptes).
● ex “Grenat” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Garnet-throated Hummingbird” of Latham 1782 (syn. Eulampis jugularis).
● ex “Merle de Madagascar” of Brisson 1760, and “Tanaombé” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (Hartlaubius).
● ex “Merle violet du royaume de Juida” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 540, and “Gilded Thrush” of Latham 1783 (syn. Lamprotornis purpureus).
● ex “Loriodor” of Levaillant 1808, pl. 260 (Oriolus).
● ex Charadrius apricarius Linnaeus, 1758, and “Pluvier doré à gorge noire” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (syn. Pluvialis apricarius).
● ex “Batara pardo dorado” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 214 (= ♀) (syn. Thamnophilus caerulescens).

Golden Babbler (assimile)
SCI Name: Cyanoderma chrysaeum assimile
assimile / assimilis
L. assimilis  similar, like.  Indicates a close resemblance or relationship to another, but not necessarily congeneric, species.  Over forty forms have been given this epithet; only some examples follow.
● "4. Collocalia francica assimilis subsp. n.   Rücken und Unterseite etwas heller als bei den beiden vorhergehenden Formen [Collocalia francica towsendi [sic]] und mit der typischen Form übereinstimmend; von dieser ist C. fr. assimilis indessen durch die dunklere Färbung des Oberkopfes und die durchschnittlich geringere Grösse wohl unterschieden." (Stresemann 1912) (subsp. Aerodramus spodiopygius).
● "Tanagra (Arrémon, Vieillot; Embernagra, Lesson) assimilis, Boiss. — Cette espèce est très-voisine par sa coloration de l'Arrémon à collier de Vieillot, ou oiseau silencieux de Buffon [Arremon taciturnus], mais elle est d'un tiers plus forte et n'a pas de collier noir sur la poitrine." (Boissonneau 1840) (Arremon).
● "91. CUCULUS ASSIMILIS.   Allied to C. flavus [= syn. Cacomantis merulinus].  ...  Hab. Aru Islands.  ♀ in Mr. Wallace's Collection." (G. Gray 1858) (syn. Cacomantis variolosus infaustus).
● "Alcyone Assimilis (allied kingfisher).—The specific name which I have applied to this species has reference to the similarity which exists between our A. Pusilla and itself, but the general dulness of color throughout, and the absence of the slightest tinge of green sufficiently distinguish it." (Diggles 1873) (syn. Ceyx pusillus).
● "41. Chlorostilbon assimilis, sp. nov.  ...  This species is somewhat like C. melanorhynchus, Gould, but is smaller; the bill is much shorter and comparatively weaker; the crown is uniform in color with the back, not brilliant as in melanorhynchus, the latter species is also more golden on the abdomen, and has the tail less forked with the feathers narrower." (Lawrence 1861) (Chlorostilbon).
● “CIRCUS ASSIMILIS, (NOBIS).  ...  In general form and colour it closely resembles the females of the true Circi, particularly of our own British species, that of the C. ranivorus of Africa, and of the C. histrionicus.  It is, however, a larger and more powerful bird than any of these.” (Jardine & Selby 1828) (Circus).
● "Genus Picus, L., as restricted to the pied species forming the division Dendrocopus of Swainson.  The Indian species of this group are treated of in XIV, 916, so far as we were then cognisant of them.  We have since learned of two others described from the "Himalaya," viz. P. assimilis, Natterer,—like P. himalayanus (No. 287), but with the scapulary feathers white, and some other distinctions,—and P. scintilla, Lichtenstein" (Blyth 1849) (Dendrocopos).
● "5 GERYGONE ASSIMILIS, Buller. — In form and color this bird is hardly distinguishable from G. flaviventris, although somewhat larger." (Buller 1865) (syn. Gerygone igata).
● "Eriocnemis assimilis.  ...  Elle est très-voisine de l'E. aureliæ. Bourc. et Mulsant, mais elle a les plumes duveteuses des tarses, d'un jaune-brunâtre uni, tandis que celles d'aureliæ sont blanches avec quelques-unes carnées ou roussâtres à la base.  Il y a entre ces deux espèces la même différence qui existe avec l'Eriocnemis lugens et l'E. squamata de Gould, et celles-ci ont généralement été acceptées par les naturalistes comme de bonnes espèces." (Elliot 1876) (Haplophaedia).
● "MUNIA CASTANEOTHORAX ASSIMILIS, subsp. n.   Differs from M. castaneothorax (Gould) in having the chestnut band on the chest much darker in colour, and the upper tail-coverts rich chestnut-brown." (Mathews 1910) (syn. Lonchura castaneothorax).
● "MALURUS ASSIMILIS, sp. nov.  ...  The above-described species belongs to that section of the genus Malurus in which the adult males are distinguished by their chestnut shoulders, and is more closely allied to M. lamberti." (North 1901) (subsp. Malurus lamberti).
● "As the species now exhibited closely assimilates to the M. macroptera, I propose to designate it as  MICRŒCA ASSIMILIS.  ...  Nearly allied to but much less in size than M. macroptera, Vig. and Horsf., and from which it may also be distinguished by the base of the outer tail-feathers being brown." (Gould 1841) (subsp. Microeca fascinans).
● "Myrmotherula assimilis Pelzeln. N. 931. partim.  ...  M. Hauxwellii Sclater persimilis sed cauda longiore rectricibus 12 predita, secundariis et tectricibus caudae superioribus albo haud maculatis, differt" (von Pelzeln 1868) (Myrmotherula).
● "26.  Pachycephala assimilis (J. Verr. et O. des Murs.)  ...  Cette espèce se rapproche beaucoup du Pachycephala falcata [= subsp. P. rufiventris] de Gould, qui provient de la Nouvelle-Hollande; mais, en les comparant, il est impossible de les confondre, ce qui nous a décidés à lui imposer le nom d'assimilis." (J. Verreaux & des Murs 1860) (syn. Pachycephala rufiventris xanthetraea).
● "On a former occasion, (S. F. Vol. I., p. 429, Dec. 1873) I discriminated the Ceylon Phodilus and pointed out clearly wherein it differed from the Himalayan birds.  I did not then name it, because I was under the impression that Malayan specimens differed similarly.  This, however, does not seem to be the case, and having now seen a second Ceylon specimen, presenting the same specific characters as the first, I desire to propose for it provisionally the name of PHODILUS ASSIMILIS." (Hume 1877) (Phodilus).
● "1274.  Meliornis novaehollandiae assimilis subsp. n.   Victorian White-bearded Honey Eater.  Mathews, Handlist No. 799 (pars).  Differs from M. n. novaehollandiae in its darker coloration on the head and with fewer stripes on the belly..  Type: Victoria, No. 9062." (Mathews 1912) (syn. Phylidonyris novaehollandiae campbelli).
● "BROADBENTIA FLAVA.  YELLOW HONEY-EATER.   ...   Collected near Cairns, North Queensland, in July, 1911, and is the type of B. f. assimilis."(Mathews 1925). Perhaps only a lapsus for addenda (syn. Stomiopera flava addenda).
● "Rhynchocyclus assimilis Pelzeln N. 220?  ...  Rh. sulphurescente (Spix.) similis sed minor et rostro breviore, latiore, magis acuminato." (von Pelzeln 1868) (Tolmomyias).
● "TROGON ASSIMILIS.  ...  Nearly allied to Trogon personata, but differing from that species in the tail being nearly black, in the transverse markings being very slight and in the extremities more largely tipped with white; the freckled markings of the wing are also much more minute." (Gould 1846) (subsp. Trogon personatus).

Golden Babbler (chrysops)
SCI Name: Cyanoderma chrysaeum chrysops
chrysops
Gr. χρυσος khrusos  gold; ωψ ōps, ωπος ōpos  face (cf. χρυσωψ khrusōps, χρυσωπος khrusōpos  gold-coloured, gold-shining).
● ex “Yellow-eared Flycatcher” of White, 1790 (Caligavis).
● ex “Acahé” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 53 (Cyanocorax).

Golden Babbler (frigidum)
SCI Name: Cyanoderma chrysaeum frigidum
frigida / frigidum / frigidus
L. frigidus  cold  < frigere  to be cold  < Gr. ριγεω rhigeō  to cool.
● ex “Tawny Bunting” of Latham 1785 (syn. Plectrophenax nivalis).