Great-tailed Grackle

SCI Name:  Quiscalus mexicanus
Protonym:  C.[orvus] mexicanus Syst.Nat. 1 pt1 p.375
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Icteridae / Quiscalus
Taxonomy Code:  grtgra
Type Locality:  'in nova Hispania'' (cf. Peters, 1929, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 42, p. 121) ; restricted to region about Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico, by Lowery, 1938, Occas. Papers Mus. Zool. Louisiana State Univ., no. 1, p. 4.
Author:  Gmelin, JF
Publish Year:  1788
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

QUISCALUS
(Icteridae; Ϯ Common Grackle Q. quiscula) Specific name Gracula quiscula Linnaeus, 1758; "98. QUISCALE, Quiscalus.  Gracula, Corvus, Lin. Gm. Lath.  Bec glabre et comprimé à la base, droit, entier, à bords anguleux et fléchis en dedans, incliné vers le bout; mandibule supérieure prolongée en pointe dans les plumes du front.   Esp. Gracula quiscala et Corvus mexicanus, Lin. Gm. Lath." (Vieillot 1816); "Quiscalus Vieillot, 1816, Analyse, p. 36. Type, by subsequent designation (G. R. Gray, 1840, List. Genera Birds, ed. 1, p. 41), Gr.[acula] quiscala [= quiscula] Linnaeus." (Blake in Peters 1968, XIV, 187).
Var. Quiscalis, Quisculus, Quisqualus, Quisqualis, Qviscalus.
Synon. Cassidix, Chalcophanes, Holoquiscalus, Megaquiscalus, Quiscala, Scaphidurus, Scaphura.

mexicanum / mexicanus
Mexico (probably named after Mexihtli, another name for Huitzilopochtli the Aztec god of war). This toponym also included New Spain, a former name for Mexico.
● ex “Colcuicuiltu” of Hernandez 1651, and “Caille de la Louisiane” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Colinus virginianus).
● ex “Hoitlalotl” of Hernandez 1651, and de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Courier Pheasant” of Latham 1783 (?syn. Geococcyx velox).
● Erroneous TL. New Spain (= Cayenne); ex “Troupiale brun de la Nouvelle Espagne” (= ☼) of Brisson 1760 (Gymnomystax).
● ex “Comaltecatl” of Hernandez 1651, and “Échasse du Méxique” of Brisson 1760 (subsp. Himantopus himantopus).
● Erroneous TL. Mexico (= Jamaica) (syn. Icterus leucopteryx).
● ex “Merula mexicana” of Seba 1734-1765, “Galgulus mexicanus” of Brisson 1760, “Roller du Mexique” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mexican Roller” of Latham 1781 (?syn. Laniocera or Lipaugus sp.).
● Erroneous TL. New Spain (= Cayenne); ex “Faisan huppé de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 337, “Crested Pheasant” of Latham 1783, Phasianus cristatus J. Gmelin, 1789, and “Penelôpe hoatzin du Méxique” of Temminck 1807 (syn. Opisthocomus hoazin).
● ex “Acacalotl” of Hernandez 1651, “Acalotl” of Willughby 1676, and Ray 1713, “Numenius mexicanus varius” of Brisson 1760, “Acalot” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mexican Ibis” of Latham 1785 (?syn. Plegadis falcinellus).
● ex “Hocitzanatl” of Hernandez 1651, and Ray, 1711, “Pica Mexicana major” of Brisson 1760, “Hocisana” of de Buffon 1770-1783, “Criard” of Pernety 1771, and “Mexican Crow” of Latham 1781 (Quiscalus).
● ex “Tecolotl” of Ray 1713, “Asio mexicanus” of Brisson, and “Mexican Eared Owl” of Latham 1781 (syn. Rhinoptynx clamator).
● ex “Yacapatlahoac” of Hernandez 1651, “Anas clypeata mexicana” or “Souchet du Méxique” of Brisson 1760, and “Mexican Shoveler” of Latham 1785 (syn. Spatula clypeata).
● Erroneous TL. Mexico (= Puerto Rico) (Todus).
● ex “Avis Cocho Psittaci mexicani species” of Seba 1734, and “Psittaca mexicana lutea” of Brisson 1760 (unident.).
● ex “Avis de cocho, psittaci species mexicana vario colore” of Seba 1734, “Psittacula mexicana cristata” of Brisson 1760, and “Crested Mexican Parrakeet” of Latham 1781 (unident.).
● ex “Caxcaxtototl” of Ray 1713, “Cotinga mexicana” of Brisson 1760, “Cacastol” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mexican Stare” of Latham 1783 (unident.).

SUBSPECIES

Great-tailed Grackle (Western)
SCI Name: Quiscalus mexicanus [graysoni Group]
QUISCALUS
(Icteridae; Ϯ Common Grackle Q. quiscula) Specific name Gracula quiscula Linnaeus, 1758; "98. QUISCALE, Quiscalus.  Gracula, Corvus, Lin. Gm. Lath.  Bec glabre et comprimé à la base, droit, entier, à bords anguleux et fléchis en dedans, incliné vers le bout; mandibule supérieure prolongée en pointe dans les plumes du front.   Esp. Gracula quiscala et Corvus mexicanus, Lin. Gm. Lath." (Vieillot 1816); "Quiscalus Vieillot, 1816, Analyse, p. 36. Type, by subsequent designation (G. R. Gray, 1840, List. Genera Birds, ed. 1, p. 41), Gr.[acula] quiscala [= quiscula] Linnaeus." (Blake in Peters 1968, XIV, 187).
Var. Quiscalis, Quisculus, Quisqualus, Quisqualis, Qviscalus.
Synon. Cassidix, Chalcophanes, Holoquiscalus, Megaquiscalus, Quiscala, Scaphidurus, Scaphura.

Great-tailed Grackle (Great-tailed)
SCI Name: Quiscalus mexicanus [mexicanus Group]
QUISCALUS
(Icteridae; Ϯ Common Grackle Q. quiscula) Specific name Gracula quiscula Linnaeus, 1758; "98. QUISCALE, Quiscalus.  Gracula, Corvus, Lin. Gm. Lath.  Bec glabre et comprimé à la base, droit, entier, à bords anguleux et fléchis en dedans, incliné vers le bout; mandibule supérieure prolongée en pointe dans les plumes du front.   Esp. Gracula quiscala et Corvus mexicanus, Lin. Gm. Lath." (Vieillot 1816); "Quiscalus Vieillot, 1816, Analyse, p. 36. Type, by subsequent designation (G. R. Gray, 1840, List. Genera Birds, ed. 1, p. 41), Gr.[acula] quiscala [= quiscula] Linnaeus." (Blake in Peters 1968, XIV, 187).
Var. Quiscalis, Quisculus, Quisqualus, Quisqualis, Qviscalus.
Synon. Cassidix, Chalcophanes, Holoquiscalus, Megaquiscalus, Quiscala, Scaphidurus, Scaphura.