Gull-billed Tern

SCI Name:  Gelochelidon nilotica
Protonym:  Sterna nilotica Syst.Nat. 1 pt2 p.606
Taxonomy:  Charadriiformes / Laridae / Gelochelidon
Taxonomy Code:  gubter1
Type Locality:  Egypt.
Author:  Gmelin, JF
Publish Year:  1789
IUCN Status:  

DEFINITIONS

GELOCHELIDON
(Laridae; † Common Gull-billed Tern G. nilotica) Gr. γελαω gelaō  to laugh; χελιδων khelidōn, χελιδονος khelidonos  swallow (i.e. sea-swallow or tern); "Siebente Sippe.   Lachseeschwalbe. Gelochelidon, Br.   1. Die baltische Lachseeschwalbe. G. Balthica, Br.   2. Die Ackerlachschwalbe. G. agraria, Br.   (3. Die südliche Lachseeschwalbe. G. meridionalis, Br.)" (Brehm 1830); "Lachseeschwalbe. Gelochelidon, Brehm.  ...  Sie haben ihren Namen von einem wie hä, hä, hä, dem Lachen eines Menschen ähnlichen Geschrei." (Brehm 1831); "Gelochelidon C. L. Brehm, Isis von Oken, 23, 1830, col. 994.  Type, by monotypy, Gelochelidon meridionalis C. L. Brehm = Sterna nilotica Gmelin." (Peters, 1934, II, 329); "Gelochelidon C. L. Brehm, Isis, 23, col. 994, 1830—type, by monotypy, "Gelochelidon meridionalis" Brehm = Sterna meridionalis C. L. Brehm = Sterna anglica Montague.   ...   Sterna nilotica Gmelin (Syst. Nat., 1, (2), p. 606, 1789; ex Hasselquist, Reise, p. 273, Egypt) is doubtful, being described as having flesh-colored feet besides other discrepancies, whereas S. anglica Montague (type, from Sussex, in the British Museum) is of unquestionable pertinence." (Hellmayr and Conover, 1948, Cat. Birds Americas, Pt. I (3), p. 297).
Var. Gelichelidon, Geolhelidon, Geochelidon.
Synon. Laropis.

nilotica / niloticus
L. Niloticus  of the River Nile  < Nilus  River Nile, Egypt.
● Egypt; ex Hasselqvist 1757, and “Egyptian Tern” of Latham 1785 (Gelochelidon).

SUBSPECIES

Gull-billed Tern (Gull-billed)
SCI Name: Gelochelidon nilotica [nilotica Group]
GELOCHELIDON
(Laridae; † Common Gull-billed Tern G. nilotica) Gr. γελαω gelaō  to laugh; χελιδων khelidōn, χελιδονος khelidonos  swallow (i.e. sea-swallow or tern); "Siebente Sippe.   Lachseeschwalbe. Gelochelidon, Br.   1. Die baltische Lachseeschwalbe. G. Balthica, Br.   2. Die Ackerlachschwalbe. G. agraria, Br.   (3. Die südliche Lachseeschwalbe. G. meridionalis, Br.)" (Brehm 1830); "Lachseeschwalbe. Gelochelidon, Brehm.  ...  Sie haben ihren Namen von einem wie hä, hä, hä, dem Lachen eines Menschen ähnlichen Geschrei." (Brehm 1831); "Gelochelidon C. L. Brehm, Isis von Oken, 23, 1830, col. 994.  Type, by monotypy, Gelochelidon meridionalis C. L. Brehm = Sterna nilotica Gmelin." (Peters, 1934, II, 329); "Gelochelidon C. L. Brehm, Isis, 23, col. 994, 1830—type, by monotypy, "Gelochelidon meridionalis" Brehm = Sterna meridionalis C. L. Brehm = Sterna anglica Montague.   ...   Sterna nilotica Gmelin (Syst. Nat., 1, (2), p. 606, 1789; ex Hasselquist, Reise, p. 273, Egypt) is doubtful, being described as having flesh-colored feet besides other discrepancies, whereas S. anglica Montague (type, from Sussex, in the British Museum) is of unquestionable pertinence." (Hellmayr and Conover, 1948, Cat. Birds Americas, Pt. I (3), p. 297).
Var. Gelichelidon, Geolhelidon, Geochelidon.
Synon. Laropis.

Gull-billed Tern (Australian)
SCI Name: Gelochelidon nilotica macrotarsa
macrotarsa
Gr. μακρος makros  long, great; Mod. L. tarsus  shank, leg  < Gr. ταρσος tarsos  flat of the foot.