Hoatzin

SCI Name:  Opisthocomus hoazin
Protonym:  Phasianus Hoazin Natursyst.Suppl. Suppl. p.125
Taxonomy:  Opisthocomiformes / Opisthocomidae / Opisthocomus
Taxonomy Code:  hoatzi1
Type Locality:  America = Cayenne, ex Buffon and PL enlum., pi. 337.
Author:  Statius Muller
Publish Year:  1776
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

OPISTHOCOMUS
(Opisthocomidae; Ϯ Hoatzin O. hoazin) Gr. οπισθοκομος opisthokomos  wearing the hair long behind  < οπισθε opisthe  behind, at the back; κομη komē  hair; "GENUS 72. OPISTHOCOMUS Hoffmansegg (οπισθοκομος  occipite comatus) (Schopfhuhn Germ.)   Rostrum mediocre, crassum, conicum, compressum, basi nudum, culmine rotundato in apicem subaduncum arcuatim deflexo, mandibulae compressae gonyde ascendente, angulo mentali prominulo.  Nares laterales, pone medium sitae, rotundatae, patulae.  Lingua. . . .  Capistrum vibrissis, dimidium rostrum aequantibus, obsitum.  Genae implumes.  Cauda longa, plana, rotundata, rectricibus 10.  Pedes tetradactyli fissi, mediocres, congrui.  Tarsus digito mediobrevior, muticus.  Tarsotheca squamata. Acrodactyla scutulata.  Digiti sublomatini, hallux digito interno brevior.  Ungues falculae compressae, falcatae, acutae, posticus anticis longior.   Species: Phasianus cristatus Lin Gmel." (Illiger 1811); "Opisthocomus "Hoffmannsegg" Illiger, Prodromus, 1811, p. 239. Type, by monotypy, Phasianus cristatus "LinGmel" = Phasianus hoazin P. L. S. Müller." (Peters 1934, II, 141). The bizarre, untidily-crested Hoatzin has been associated with a variety of other bird groups; recent work suggests that it is of unique ancient lineage basal to raptors, owls, coraciiformes, parrots and passeriformes.
Var. Oposthocomus, Opisthocamus.
Synon. Orthocorys, Sasa.

opisthocomus
Gr. οπισθοκομος opisthokomos  wearing the hair long behind  < οπισθε opisthe  behind, at the back; κομη komē  hair.

hoazin
Nahuatl/Aztec name Huactzin for some kind of large bird, doubtfully the Hoatzin, probably the Laughing Falcon Herpetotheres; “said to pronounce a sound not unlike the word Hoactzin” (Latham 1783); ex “Faisan huppé de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 337, and “Hoazin” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (Opisthocomus).