Green Honeycreeper

SCI Name:  Chlorophanes spiza
Protonym:  Motacilla Spiza Syst.Nat.ed.10 p.188
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Thraupidae / Chlorophanes
Taxonomy Code:  grehon1
Type Locality:  based on ''The Green Black-cap Fly-catcher'' of Edwards, 1743, Nat. Hist. Birds, 1, p. 25, pi. 25, right fig. Surinam.
Author:  Linnaeus
Publish Year:  1758
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

CHLOROPHANES
(Thraupidae; † Green Honeycreeper C. spiza) Gr. χλωρος khlōros  green; -φανης -phanēs  showing  < φαινω phainō  to show; "CXXXII. Chlorophanes RCHB. Nat. Syst. t. suppl. — Schnabel stark, über kopflang, Firste kielförmig, spitzewärts deutlich gebogen, Ränder spitzewärts stark eingezogen, vor der Spitze eine einfache Kerbe.  Nasengrube nur am Grunde befiedert, Nasenloch vorn unten, rundlich dreieckig.  Laden tief neben dem Kinn hineintretend, breit, untere Ladenränder schief aufgebogen, Dillenkante flach gewölbt, sehr seicht, fast horizontal aufsteigend.  Spalte am Mundwinkel tief eingehend und stark aufgebogen, von der Mitte aus seicht gebogen.  Flügel decken den Schwanz über die Hälfte, Schwinge 1—3 kurzstufig, 3=4 längste, dann bis 8 alle abnehmend, folgende bis an die abnehmende letzte ziemlich gleich und breit abgerundet.  Schwanz gleichfederig, Federn schief abgerundet.  Lauf weit länger als Mittelzehe, mit 7 Tafeln.  Zehen stark zusammengedrückt seitliche wenig kürzer als mittle, fast gleich  Nägel stark gekrümmt und spitzig, Seitenfurchen  am Hinternagel deutlich. —  Kleid sehr eigenthümlich, spangrün glänzend, Kopf schwarz, Unterrand des Oberschnabels und ganzer Unterschnabel hell. Weibchen grasgrün, schwach schillernd. Dürfte hier die Bienenfresser, wohl auch an die Analogie der Tanagrinae (Nemosia) erinnern.    *558. Ch. atricapilla (Dacnis  —us VIEILL.) RCHB. t. DLI. 3746—47.  ...  Dieser fingirte Vogel ist der "Colius" MÖHRING gen. av. 16. die Avicula americana altera SEBA II. 5. t. III. F. 4. Sylvia Avic. amer alt. Sebae KLEIN 79. 18. Certhia amer. atricapilla BRISS. III. 364. "capite et gutture splendide nigris", welche der sonst so sorgfältige BRISSON nur nach seinen Vorgängern beschrieb, während auch LATHAM daraus seinen Black-headed Creeper und GMELIN den Typus seiner Certhia Spiza 476. 12. gemacht haben." (Reichenbach 1853); "Chlorophanes Reichenbach, 1853, Handb. spec. Ornith., Icon. Synops. Avium, Scansoriae, Tenuirostres, continuatio, livr. 5, p. 233.  Type, by monotypy, Coereba atricapilla Vieillot = Motacilla spiza Linnaeus." (Storer in Peters, 1970, XIII, p. 391).
Synon. Coereba.

chlorophanes
Gr. χλωρος khlōros  green; -φανης -phanēs  -showing  < φαινω phainō  to show.

SPIZA
(Cardinalidae; Ϯ Dickcissel S. americana) Gr. σπιζα spiza  common type of finch, identifed by most later authors as the Common Chaffinch  < σπιζω spizō  to chirp; "E. americana.  ... This bird, which is peculiar to America, has been described by Gmelin and Latham under two different names in the genera EMBERIZA and FRINGILLA, as their F. flavicollis seems to be no other than an imperfect state of plumage owing to age. The americana is certainly not an EMBERIZA, and is evidently congeneric with some of Wilson's FRINGILLÆ, such as F. melodia, savanna, socialis, passerina, &c. For these birds I was about to propose the adoption of a new genus, under the name of SPIZA, (Greek appellation of the FRINGILLA cœlebs) intermediate between FRINGILLA and EMBERIZA, but much more closely allied to the former. After an attentive examination of the intermediate species, I shall, however, consider it a subgenus under FRINGILLA." (Bonaparte 1824); "GENERE FRINGILLA   |   SOTTOGENERE SPIZA (a)   ...   (a) Esaminando non ha guari per la prima volta la rarissima Emberiza melanocephala di Sardegna, avemmo la sorpresa di ritrovarvi tutt' i caratteri del nostro Sottogenere Americano Spiza. Riconoscemmo inoltre, che quest' uccello è il perfetto analogo della Fringilla americana tipo de quel Sottogenere." (Bonaparte 1827); "Spiza Bonaparte, 1824, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 4, p. 45. Type, by subsequent designation (Bonaparte, 1827, Specchio Comp. Ornith. Roma Filadelfia, p. 47), Emberiza americana Gmelin." (Paynter in Peters 1970, XIII, 216).
Var. Spidza, Spizza, Spitza, Schiza.
Synon. Clibanus, Euspina, Euspiza, Hortulanus, Tanagroides.
● (syn. Fringilla Ϯ Common Chaffinch F. coelebs) "I know of no generic name that has been applied hitherto, exclusively to the chaffinch genus. The appellation Spiza is, I think, the most appropriate, and the best that could be affixed to these birds, the common chaffinch being undoubtedly the σπιζα of Aristotle; but the term, Spiza, unfortunately, has already been employed by Bonaparte to designate a genus of American birds (the painted bunting or nonpareil finch, Emberiza ciris, WILSON, and its immediate congeners), and according to the generally received rules of nomenclature, that genus must retain the name first given to it, however inapplicable and inappropriate it may chance to be; but the time must finally arrive, when a complete and thorough alteration will take place throughout zoological nomenclature, and I consider it now to be almost the duty of every lover of Natural History to endeavour, as far as he is able, to improve the systematic arrangements of the various productions of nature.  ...  Thus, speaking of the birds now under consideration, we might say "the chaffinch (Spiza leucoptera, Fringilla cælebs, LIN.), the bramblefinch (Spiza montana, Fringilla montifringilla,  LIN.), or the ring-ousel (Petrocincla meruloides, Turdus torquatus, LIN.), &c." (Blyth 1833).
● (syn. Passerina Ϯ Painted Bunting P. ciris) "GENUS 34. *FRINGILLA, L.  SUBGENUS 1. SPIZA, Nob.   163. Fringilla amœna, Nob.  ...  164. Fringilla cyanea, Wils.  ...  165. Fringilla ciris, Temm." (Bonaparte 1827); "12. Spiza, BP..  Ces Spiziens-Tanagroïdes qui également et surpassent même en beauté les Tangaras, par le Pape du moins, appelé pour cela Non-pareil, auquel se rattachent deux espèces du midi et de l'ouest des Etats-Unis, (Fringilla cyanea et amoena), et deux autres encore plus méridionales, (Spiza versicolor et leclancheri.)" (Bonaparte 1850).

spiza
Gr. σπιζα spiza  finch  < σπιζω spizō  to chirp.
● ex “Green Black-cap Fly-catcher” of Edwards 1743; probably the “Guitguit” of Hernandez 1651: “Avicula est minima, Regulo similis, viridi colore” (Chlorophanes).
● ex "Fringilla" of authors (see Spiza) and Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1766 (syn. Fringilla coelebs).

SUBSPECIES

Green Honeycreeper (guatemalensis)
SCI Name: Chlorophanes spiza guatemalensis
guatemalae / guatemalensis / guatimalensis
Guatemala (Nahuatl name Cuauhtēmallān place of many trees).

Green Honeycreeper (argutus)
SCI Name: Chlorophanes spiza argutus
argutus
L. argutus  noisy, penetrating  < arguere  to accuse.

Green Honeycreeper (exsul)
SCI Name: Chlorophanes spiza exsul
exsul
L. exsul  exile  < ex  out of; solum  country, land (i.e. remote, isolated, insular).

Green Honeycreeper (subtropicalis)
SCI Name: Chlorophanes spiza subtropicalis
subtropicalis
Mod. L. subtropicalis  subtropical, of the subtropics  < L. sub  next to; Mod. L. tropicalis  tropical  < Late L. tropicus  tropical  < L. tropicus  of turning  < Gr. τροπικος tropikos  of the solstice  < τροπη tropē  turn, change  < τρεπω trepō  to turn.

Green Honeycreeper (caerulescens)
SCI Name: Chlorophanes spiza caerulescens
caerulescens
Unattested L. caerulescens, caerulescentis  bluish (neither caerulescere nor caerulescens have been found in Classical Latin, but their existence may be inferred from caeruleus  azure-blue, by the example, amongst others, of rufus  red, ruddy, giving rufescere  to become reddish, and rufescens  reddish).
● "61. ANAS.  ...  cærulescens.  10. A. grisea, subtus alba, tectricibus alarum dorsoque postico cærulescentibus.  Anser canadensis, alis cæruleis. Edw. av. 152. t. 152.  Habitat in Canada." (Linnaeus 1758) (Anser).
● "43. LANIUS.  ...  cærulescens.  8. L. cauda forficata, corpore nigro cærulescente, abdomine albo.  Lanius cauda forcipata. Edv. av. 96. t. 56.  Habitat in Benghala." (Linnaeus 1758) (Dicrurus).
● ex “Héron bleuâtre de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, “Crabier bleu à cou brun” of de Buffon 1770-1785, and “Blue Heron” of Latham 1785 (syn. Egretta caerulea).
● ex “Blue Roller” of Latham 1785 (syn. Eurystomus glaucurus).
● "41. FALCO.  ...  cærulescens.  7. F. cera palpebris pedibus subtusque luteus, dorso nigro-cærulescente, temporibus linea alba inclusis.  Accipiter minimus benghalensis. Edv. av. 108. t. 108.  Habitat in Asia." (Linnaeus 1758). This epithet is the thirteenth name in avian nomenclature. (Microhierax).
● ex "Oiseau bleu" of Dubois 1671, and "Gros oiseau" of Brown 1724 (‡Porphyrio).
● ex “Blue-necked Rail” of Latham 1785 (Rallus).
● ex "Fauvette bleuâtre de S. Domingue" of de Buffon 1770-1783, and "Blue-grey Warbler" of Latham 1783 (Setophaga).
● ex “Batara negro y aplomado” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 213 (Thamnophilus).
● ex “Caerulean Creeper” of Latham 1801 (syn. Zosterops lateralis).

Green Honeycreeper (spiza)
SCI Name: Chlorophanes spiza spiza
SPIZA
(Cardinalidae; Ϯ Dickcissel S. americana) Gr. σπιζα spiza  common type of finch, identifed by most later authors as the Common Chaffinch  < σπιζω spizō  to chirp; "E. americana.  ... This bird, which is peculiar to America, has been described by Gmelin and Latham under two different names in the genera EMBERIZA and FRINGILLA, as their F. flavicollis seems to be no other than an imperfect state of plumage owing to age. The americana is certainly not an EMBERIZA, and is evidently congeneric with some of Wilson's FRINGILLÆ, such as F. melodia, savanna, socialis, passerina, &c. For these birds I was about to propose the adoption of a new genus, under the name of SPIZA, (Greek appellation of the FRINGILLA cœlebs) intermediate between FRINGILLA and EMBERIZA, but much more closely allied to the former. After an attentive examination of the intermediate species, I shall, however, consider it a subgenus under FRINGILLA." (Bonaparte 1824); "GENERE FRINGILLA   |   SOTTOGENERE SPIZA (a)   ...   (a) Esaminando non ha guari per la prima volta la rarissima Emberiza melanocephala di Sardegna, avemmo la sorpresa di ritrovarvi tutt' i caratteri del nostro Sottogenere Americano Spiza. Riconoscemmo inoltre, che quest' uccello è il perfetto analogo della Fringilla americana tipo de quel Sottogenere." (Bonaparte 1827); "Spiza Bonaparte, 1824, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 4, p. 45. Type, by subsequent designation (Bonaparte, 1827, Specchio Comp. Ornith. Roma Filadelfia, p. 47), Emberiza americana Gmelin." (Paynter in Peters 1970, XIII, 216).
Var. Spidza, Spizza, Spitza, Schiza.
Synon. Clibanus, Euspina, Euspiza, Hortulanus, Tanagroides.
● (syn. Fringilla Ϯ Common Chaffinch F. coelebs) "I know of no generic name that has been applied hitherto, exclusively to the chaffinch genus. The appellation Spiza is, I think, the most appropriate, and the best that could be affixed to these birds, the common chaffinch being undoubtedly the σπιζα of Aristotle; but the term, Spiza, unfortunately, has already been employed by Bonaparte to designate a genus of American birds (the painted bunting or nonpareil finch, Emberiza ciris, WILSON, and its immediate congeners), and according to the generally received rules of nomenclature, that genus must retain the name first given to it, however inapplicable and inappropriate it may chance to be; but the time must finally arrive, when a complete and thorough alteration will take place throughout zoological nomenclature, and I consider it now to be almost the duty of every lover of Natural History to endeavour, as far as he is able, to improve the systematic arrangements of the various productions of nature.  ...  Thus, speaking of the birds now under consideration, we might say "the chaffinch (Spiza leucoptera, Fringilla cælebs, LIN.), the bramblefinch (Spiza montana, Fringilla montifringilla,  LIN.), or the ring-ousel (Petrocincla meruloides, Turdus torquatus, LIN.), &c." (Blyth 1833).
● (syn. Passerina Ϯ Painted Bunting P. ciris) "GENUS 34. *FRINGILLA, L.  SUBGENUS 1. SPIZA, Nob.   163. Fringilla amœna, Nob.  ...  164. Fringilla cyanea, Wils.  ...  165. Fringilla ciris, Temm." (Bonaparte 1827); "12. Spiza, BP..  Ces Spiziens-Tanagroïdes qui également et surpassent même en beauté les Tangaras, par le Pape du moins, appelé pour cela Non-pareil, auquel se rattachent deux espèces du midi et de l'ouest des Etats-Unis, (Fringilla cyanea et amoena), et deux autres encore plus méridionales, (Spiza versicolor et leclancheri.)" (Bonaparte 1850).

Green Honeycreeper (axillaris)
SCI Name: Chlorophanes spiza axillaris
axillaris
L. axillaris  of the armpit  < axilla  armpit.
● ex “Axillary Falcon” of Latham 1801 (Elanus).