Greater Coucal

SCI Name:  Centropus sinensis
Protonym:  Polophilus sinensis Gen.Zool.[Shaw] 9 pt1 p.51
Taxonomy:  Cuculiformes / Cuculidae / Centropus
Taxonomy Code:  grecou1
Type Locality:  'Said to inhabit China'' = Ning Po, China, by designation of Stresemann, antea, p. 321.
Author:  Stephens
Publish Year:  1815
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

CENTROPUS
(Cuculidae; Ϯ Senegal Coucal C. senegalensis) Gr. κεντρον kentron  spur, spike; πους pous, ποδος podos  foot; "This genus is distinguished from all other members of the family by having on the hallux a long nearly straight hind claw, very much like a Lark's." (Blanford 1895).  The coucals were formerly known as 'lark-heeled cuckoos.'  The substantive 'Coucal' is derived from French Coucou  cuckoo, and Alouette  lark; "GENUS 13. CENTROPUS (κεντρον stimulus, calcar  πους pes) (Spornfuß Germ.) Rostrum capiti brevius, incurvum, valde compressum, grypanium.  Tomia integerrima.  Nares plumis recumbentibus tectae.  Lingua . . .  Cauda gradata, elongata.  Pedes scansorii, congrui. Digiti externi internis longiores, antici fissi, posticorum externus versatilis? Ungues incurvi, posticus internus reliquis aliquantum longior, retiusculus, subulatus.  Species: Cuculus Aegyptius, Tolu LinGmel." (Illiger 1811); "Centropus Illiger, Prodromus, 1811, p. 205. Type, by subsequent designation, Cuculus aegyptius Gmelin. (G. R. Gray, List Gen. Bds., 1840, p. 56.)" (Peters, 1940, IV, p. 66). 
Var. Certropus, Certtopus, Centrophus. 
Synon. Anacentropus, Centrococcyx, Corydonyx, Grillia, Huhus, Megacentropus, Nesocentor, Nisus, Onixylus, Polophilus, Pyrrhocentor, Toulou.

sinense / sinensis
Mod. L. Sinensis  Chinese  < Sina  China  < Late L. Sinae  Chinese  < Gr. Σιναι Sinai  Chinese. Also a frequent amendment for the toponyms chinensis and sinicus.
● ex “Grand Martinet de la Chine” of Sonnerat 1782 (unident.?Acridotheres sp.).
● ex “Chincou” of Levaillant 1796, pl. 12 (the “Schinkuh” of Forster 1798) (syn. Aegypius monachus).
● ex “Grand Duc de la Chine” of Mauduyt de la Varenne 1782-1787 (unident.?Bubo sp.).
● ex “Chinese Titmouse” of Latham 1783 (Chrysomma).
● ex “Galgulus sinensis” of Brisson 1760, “Rollier de la Chine” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 620, “Rolle de la Chine” of de Buffon 1770-1786, and “Chinese Roller” of Latham 1781 (syn. Cissa chinensis).
● ex “Pie de Macao” of Sonnerat 1782, and “Macao Crow” of Latham 1787 (syn. Dendrocitta formosae).
● Erroneous TL. China (= New Guinea); ex “Perroquet de la Chine” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 514, and “Perroquet vert” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (syn. Eclectus roratus pectoralis).
● ex “Chinese Heron” of Latham 1785 (Ixobrychus).
● ex "Mésange de Nanquin" of Sonnerat 1782, and “Chinese Tanager” of Latham 1783 (syn. Leiothrix lutea).
● ex “Turdus sinensis” of Brisson 1760, and “Chinese Thrush” of Latham 1783 (syn. Leucodioptron canorum).
● ex “Gobe-mouches verdâtre de la Chine” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Wreathed Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (Otocompsa).
● ex “Chinese Diver” of Latham 1785 (syn. Phalacrocorax carbo).
● ex “Bécassine de la Chine” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 881, and “Cape Snipe, var. B” of Latham 1785 (syn. Rostratula benghalensis).
● ex “Chinese Nuthatch” of Latham 1781 (J. Gmelin, 1788, nom. oblit.; nec Sitta sinensis J. Verreaux, 1871).
● ex “Chinese Tern” of Latham 1785 (subsp. Sternula albifrons).
● ex “China Owl” of Latham 1801 (syn. Strix seloputo).
● ex “Kinck de la Chine” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 617, “Kink” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Kink Oriole” of Latham 1782 (Sturnia).
● ex “Coucou bleu de la Chine” of Brisson 1760 (?syn. Urocissa erythrorhyncha).
● ex “Ortolan de la Chine” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Chinese Bunting” of Latham 1783 (unident.).
● ex “Tarin de la Chine” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Chinese Siskin” of Latham 1783 (unident.).
● ex “China Warbler” of Latham 1783 (unident.).
● ex “Chinese Jacana” of Latham 1785 (unident.).

SUBSPECIES

Greater Coucal (Greater)
SCI Name: Centropus sinensis [sinensis Group]
CENTROPUS
(Cuculidae; Ϯ Senegal Coucal C. senegalensis) Gr. κεντρον kentron  spur, spike; πους pous, ποδος podos  foot; "This genus is distinguished from all other members of the family by having on the hallux a long nearly straight hind claw, very much like a Lark's." (Blanford 1895).  The coucals were formerly known as 'lark-heeled cuckoos.'  The substantive 'Coucal' is derived from French Coucou  cuckoo, and Alouette  lark; "GENUS 13. CENTROPUS (κεντρον stimulus, calcar  πους pes) (Spornfuß Germ.) Rostrum capiti brevius, incurvum, valde compressum, grypanium.  Tomia integerrima.  Nares plumis recumbentibus tectae.  Lingua . . .  Cauda gradata, elongata.  Pedes scansorii, congrui. Digiti externi internis longiores, antici fissi, posticorum externus versatilis? Ungues incurvi, posticus internus reliquis aliquantum longior, retiusculus, subulatus.  Species: Cuculus Aegyptius, Tolu LinGmel." (Illiger 1811); "Centropus Illiger, Prodromus, 1811, p. 205. Type, by subsequent designation, Cuculus aegyptius Gmelin. (G. R. Gray, List Gen. Bds., 1840, p. 56.)" (Peters, 1940, IV, p. 66). 
Var. Certropus, Certtopus, Centrophus. 
Synon. Anacentropus, Centrococcyx, Corydonyx, Grillia, Huhus, Megacentropus, Nesocentor, Nisus, Onixylus, Polophilus, Pyrrhocentor, Toulou.

Greater Coucal (Southern)
SCI Name: Centropus sinensis parroti
parroti
Dr Carl Philip August Parrot (1867-1911) German gynaecologist, ornithologist (subsp. Centropus sinensis, syn. Dendrocopos major harterti, syn. Emberiza calandra (ex Emberiza calandra insularis Parrot, 1910)).