Great Curassow

SCI Name:  Crax rubra
Protonym:  Crax rubra Syst.Nat.ed.10 p.157
Taxonomy:  Galliformes / Cracidae / Crax
Taxonomy Code:  grecur1
Type Locality:  Based entirely on The Red Peruvian Hen of Albin, book 3, p. 37, pi. 40, no locaUty given.
Author:  Linnaeus
Publish Year:  1758
IUCN Status:  Vulnerable

DEFINITIONS

CRAX
(Cracidae; Ϯ Great Curassow C. rubra) Gr. κρα kra  humorous abbreviation for κρανος kranos  helmet (cf. κρας kras  head; ουραξ ourax  unidentified gamebird, perhaps a grouse).  The name was first introduced by Linnaeus 1744, based on "Cocq Indien" of Dodart 1671-1676, and "Gallus Indicus", "Quirizao" or "Curasso" of Sloane 1725: "It was brought from the Island Quirizao, Curassao or Curasso, belonging to the Dutch, to Jamaica." "Gallus indicus Sloan. Hist. nat. Jam.  Crax Linn. Syst. nat.  Hocco des Amazones*  ... *Crax, Avis Græce sic dicta a clarissimo Linnæo, a galea seu corolla pennacea revoluta" (Barrère 1745) (Laurent Raty in litt.); "89. CRAX.  Rostrum basi cera obtectum.  Pennæ caput tegentes revolutæ." (Linnaeus 1758): based on "Gallus curassavicus" of Aldrovandus 1599-1603, "Mitu" of Marcgrave 1648, Willughby 1676, and Ray 1713, and "Gallus Indicus" of Sloane 1725; "Crax Linné, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. 157. Type, by subsequent designation, Crax rubra Linné. (Ridgway, Man. No. Am. Bds., ed. 2, 1896, p. 207.)¹  ...  ¹ Crax alector Linné, 1766, is usually given as the type of the genus, but was not one of the originally included species, hence is unavailable in this connection." (Peters, 1934, II, p. 10).  Linnaeus's Crax comprised two species (C. nigra, C. rubra).
Var. Craxa, Urax.
Synon. Alector, Crossolaryngus, Mituporanga, Sphaerolaryngus.

rubra
L. ruber, rubra  red, ruddy (see also ruber).
● ex “Red Lark” of Latham 1783, and Pennant 1785 (syn. Anthus rubescens).
● ex “Martin-pêcheur de Pondichéry” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 778, fig. 2, and “Martin-pêcheur pourpré” of de Buffon 1770-1786 (syn. Ceyx erithaca).
● "89. CRAX.  ...  rubra.  2. C. rubra, capite cærulescente.  Gallina peruviana rubra. Alb. av. 3. p. 37. t. 40.  Habitat in America.  An varietas præcedentis? [Crax nigra]" (Linnaeus 1748); "Albin's figure, though pretty poor, seems to represent the female of the present species. As type locality we may regard (western) Ecuador, which, at Albin's time, formed part of Peru." (Hellmayr & Conover 1942) (Crax).
● ex “Lori de la Chine” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 519, “Lori rouge” of de Buffon 1770-1783, “Lori de Gilolo” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Molucca Lory” of Latham 1781 (syn. Eos bornea).
● ex “Moineau de l’île de France” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 665, fig. 2, and “Crimson Bunting” of Latham 1783 (Foudia).
● ex “Scarlet Creeper” of Latham 1782 (syn. Myzomela sanguinolenta).
● ex “Manakin orangé de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 302, fig. 2 (syn. Pipra aureola).
● ex “Habia punzo” (= ♂) of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 88 (syn. Piranga flava).
● ex “Cardinal de Canada” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Piranga olivacea).
● ex “Summer Red-Bird ” of Catesby 1731 (Piranga).
● ex “Traquet à Cul Roux” of Levaillant 1806, pl. 188, fig. 2 (syn. Saxicoloides fulicatus).
● ex “Suirirí roxo” of de Azara 1802-1805 (unident.).

SUBSPECIES

Great Curassow (rubra)
SCI Name: Crax rubra rubra
rubra
L. ruber, rubra  red, ruddy (see also ruber).
● ex “Red Lark” of Latham 1783, and Pennant 1785 (syn. Anthus rubescens).
● ex “Martin-pêcheur de Pondichéry” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 778, fig. 2, and “Martin-pêcheur pourpré” of de Buffon 1770-1786 (syn. Ceyx erithaca).
● "89. CRAX.  ...  rubra.  2. C. rubra, capite cærulescente.  Gallina peruviana rubra. Alb. av. 3. p. 37. t. 40.  Habitat in America.  An varietas præcedentis? [Crax nigra]" (Linnaeus 1748); "Albin's figure, though pretty poor, seems to represent the female of the present species. As type locality we may regard (western) Ecuador, which, at Albin's time, formed part of Peru." (Hellmayr & Conover 1942) (Crax).
● ex “Lori de la Chine” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 519, “Lori rouge” of de Buffon 1770-1783, “Lori de Gilolo” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Molucca Lory” of Latham 1781 (syn. Eos bornea).
● ex “Moineau de l’île de France” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 665, fig. 2, and “Crimson Bunting” of Latham 1783 (Foudia).
● ex “Scarlet Creeper” of Latham 1782 (syn. Myzomela sanguinolenta).
● ex “Manakin orangé de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 302, fig. 2 (syn. Pipra aureola).
● ex “Habia punzo” (= ♂) of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 88 (syn. Piranga flava).
● ex “Cardinal de Canada” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Piranga olivacea).
● ex “Summer Red-Bird ” of Catesby 1731 (Piranga).
● ex “Traquet à Cul Roux” of Levaillant 1806, pl. 188, fig. 2 (syn. Saxicoloides fulicatus).
● ex “Suirirí roxo” of de Azara 1802-1805 (unident.).

Great Curassow (griscomi)
SCI Name: Crax rubra griscomi
griscomi
Ludlow Griscom (1890-1959) US ornithologist, pioneer in field identification (subsp. Aphelocoma unicolor, subsp. Contopus sordidulus, subsp. Crax rubra, subsp. Glaucidium palmarum, syn. Granatellus sallaei boucardi, subsp. Haemorhous mexicanus, syn. Sporagra notata forreri, subsp. Sturnella magna).