Greater Double-collared Sunbird

SCI Name:  Cinnyris afer
Protonym:  Certhia afra Syst.Nat.ed.12 ed.12 p.186
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Nectariniidae / Cinnyris
Taxonomy Code:  gdcsun2
Type Locality:  Cape of Good Hope.
Author:  Linnaeus
Publish Year:  1766
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

CINNYRIS
(Nectariniidae; Ϯ Splendid Sunbird C. coccinigastrus) Gr. κιννυρις kinnuris  small bird mentioned by Hesychius, not further identified (cf. Gr. myth. Cinyras king of Cyprus, renowned for his wealth and opulence, who committed incest with his daughter Myrrha, who fled to Arabia and gave birth to Adonis; erroneous "Cinnyris (Gr) = shining" (Hockey et al. 2005)); "Les SOUÏ-MANGAS. (CINNYRIS. Cuv.) (2).   N'ont pas non plus la queue usée; leur bec long et très-grêle a le bord de ses deux mandibules finement dentelé en scie; leur langue, susceptible de s'allonger hors du bec, se termine en fourche; ce sont de petits oiseaux dont les mâles brillent au temps des amours de couleurs métalliques et approchant de l'éclat des colibris, qu'ils représentent à cet égard dans l'ancien monde, se trouvant principalement en Afrique.  Ils vivent sur les fleurs dont ils pompent le suc  ...   Le plus grand nombre a la queue égale. (1)   ...   (2) Cinnyris, nom grec d'un très-petit oiseau inconnu. Souï-manga signifie, dit-on, mange sucre dans un jargon de Madagascar.   ...   (1) Certh. splendida, Sh. Vieill. 82. — C. afra, Edw. 347. — C. superba, Vieill. 22. — C. lotenia, enl. 575, 2 et 3, Vieill. 34. — Ametystina, Vieill. 5, 6. — Chalybæa, enl. 246, 3, Vieill. 10, 13, 18, 24, 34, 80. — Omnicolor Seb. I, 69, 5. — Cuprea, Vieill. 23. — Purpurata, Edw. 265, Vieill. 11. — Cyanocephala, Vieill. 7. — Zeilonica, enl. 576, 4, Vieill. 29, 30. — Dubia, Vieill. 81. — Senegalensis, Vieill. 8. — Sperata, enl. 246, 1, 2, Vieill. 16,32. — Madagascariensis, Vieill. 18. — Lepida, Sparrm. 35." (Cuvier 1817); "Cinnyris Cuvier, 1817, Règne Animal, 1, p. 411. Type, by subsequent designation (G. R. Gray, 1855, Cat. Gen. Subgen. Birds, p. 19), Certhia splendida Shaw, 1811 = Certhia coccinigaster Latham, 1801." (Rand in Peters, 1967, XII, p. 223).
Var. Cyniris, Cynnira, Cynniris, Cinanyris, Cinayris, Cynnyris.
Synon. Aethocinnyris, Angaladiana, Arachnechthra, Cheimocinnyris, Chromatophora, Chrysocinnyris, Cyrtostomus, Eremicinnyris, Eucinnyris, Haplocinnyris, Helionympha, Maricornis, Melanocinnyris, Mellisuga, Microcinnyris, Notiocinnyris, Panaeola, Shelleyia.

afer
L. Afer, Afra  African  < Africa  Africa, originally the territory of Carthage.
● Cape of Good Hope; ex “Red-breasted Green Creeper” of Edwards 1764 (Cinnyris).
● Africa (= Senegal); ex “Black-bellied Grosbeak” of Brown 1776 and Latham 1783 (Euplectes).
● Madagascar; ex “Cuculus madagascariensis major” of Brisson 1760, “Grand coucou de Madagascar” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 587, “Vourou-driou” of de Buffon 1770-1786, and “African Cuckow” of Latham 1782 (syn. Leptosomus discolor).
● Cape of Good Hope; ex “Black-breasted Titmouse” of Latham 1783 (Melaniparus).
● Cape of Good Hope; ex “Variété du Coucou Edolio” of Levaillant 1806, pl. 209 (syn. Oxylophus levaillantii).
● Africa (= Benguella); ex “Perdrix d’Afrique” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 180, and “Perdrix rouge d’Afrique” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (Pternistis).
● Senegal; ex “Pie du Sénégal” of Brisson 1760 (Ptilostomus).
● Maoflang, Khasi Hills, Assam (syn. Pycnonotus cafer) (probably a wordplay on cafer).
● Cape of Good Hope; ex “African Warbler” and “Spotted Yellow Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (Sphenoeacus).
● Senegal; ex “Turtur Senegalensis” of Brisson 1760 (Turtur).
● "60. TROCHILUS.   ...   afer.  2. T. curvirostris, corpore viridi, alis cæruleis, rectricibus nigris: intermediis longissimis.  Habitat in Æthiopia.  J. Burmannus." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.; nom. dub.).

SUBSPECIES

Greater Double-collared Sunbird (saliens)
SCI Name: Cinnyris afer saliens
saliens
L. saliens, salientis  leaping  < salire  to leap.

Greater Double-collared Sunbird (afer)
SCI Name: Cinnyris afer afer
afer
L. Afer, Afra  African  < Africa  Africa, originally the territory of Carthage.
● Cape of Good Hope; ex “Red-breasted Green Creeper” of Edwards 1764 (Cinnyris).
● Africa (= Senegal); ex “Black-bellied Grosbeak” of Brown 1776 and Latham 1783 (Euplectes).
● Madagascar; ex “Cuculus madagascariensis major” of Brisson 1760, “Grand coucou de Madagascar” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 587, “Vourou-driou” of de Buffon 1770-1786, and “African Cuckow” of Latham 1782 (syn. Leptosomus discolor).
● Cape of Good Hope; ex “Black-breasted Titmouse” of Latham 1783 (Melaniparus).
● Cape of Good Hope; ex “Variété du Coucou Edolio” of Levaillant 1806, pl. 209 (syn. Oxylophus levaillantii).
● Africa (= Benguella); ex “Perdrix d’Afrique” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 180, and “Perdrix rouge d’Afrique” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (Pternistis).
● Senegal; ex “Pie du Sénégal” of Brisson 1760 (Ptilostomus).
● Maoflang, Khasi Hills, Assam (syn. Pycnonotus cafer) (probably a wordplay on cafer).
● Cape of Good Hope; ex “African Warbler” and “Spotted Yellow Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (Sphenoeacus).
● Senegal; ex “Turtur Senegalensis” of Brisson 1760 (Turtur).
● "60. TROCHILUS.   ...   afer.  2. T. curvirostris, corpore viridi, alis cæruleis, rectricibus nigris: intermediis longissimis.  Habitat in Æthiopia.  J. Burmannus." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.; nom. dub.).