Indian Roller

SCI Name:  Coracias benghalensis
Protonym:  Corvus benghalensis Syst.Nat.ed.10 p.106
Taxonomy:  Coraciiformes / Coraciidae / Coracias
Taxonomy Code:  indrol2
Type Locality:  Bengal, i.e. Madras fide Hartert.
Author:  Linnaeus
Publish Year:  1758
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

CORACIAS
(Coraciidae; † European Roller C. garrulus) Gr. κορακιας korakias  type of crow or daw, perhaps a chough  < κοραξ korax, κορακος korakos  raven  < κρωζω krōzō  to croak; the European Roller has a distinctive rolling or tumbling display flight, from which it received its substantive English name;  “A genus nearly related to the Crow. Thence Linnaeus calls it Coracias: A word of Aristotle’s applied only to what we call the Cornish chough” (Pennant 1773); the rollers were formerly included in the Corvidae next to the jays Garrulus and choughs; "49. CORACIAS.  Rostrum cultratum apice incurvato, basi pennis denudatum.  Lingua cartilaginea, bifida." (Linnaeus 1758); "Coracias Linné, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. 107.  Type, by subsequent designation, Coracias garrulus Linné. (Gray, Cat. Gen. Subgen. Bds., 1855, p. 13 ¹)   ...   ¹ In list Gen. Bds., 1840 and ed. 2, 1841, Gray designates Coracias abyssinica Gm. as type of the genus, a designation that is invalid since this was not one of the orignally included species." (Peters, 1945, V, p. 241).  This is the tenth diagnosed genus in avian taxonomy.  Linnaeus's Coracias comprised six species (C. Garrulus, C. caffra, C. Oriolus, C. Galbula, C. aurea, C. Xanthornus).   
Var. Coracius, Coriacias, Caracias.   
Synon. Ampelis, Coraciura, Eucoracias, Galgulus, Titia, Trimenornis.

coracias
Gr. κορακιας korakias  type of crow or daw  < κοραξ korax, κορακος korakos  raven  < κρωζω krōzō  to croak (syn. Coracias garrulus).

benghalense / benghalensis
Bengal, India (see bengalensis).
● "48. CORVUS.  ...  benghalensis.  6. C. vertice alis caudaque cæruleis, collo griseo.  Pica glandaria benghalensis. Alb. av. I. p. 17. t. 17.  Habitat in Benghala." (Linnaeus 1758) (Coracias). This name is the seventh toponym in avian nomenclature.
● "54. PICUS.  ...  benghalensis.  8. viridis, occipite rubro, nucha nigra, subtus anticeque albus nigro maculatus.  Picus benghalensis. Alb. av. 3. p. 21. t. 22. Edw. av. 182. l. 182.  Habitat in Benghala." (Linnaeus 1758) (Dinopium). This name is the tenth toponym in avian nomenclature.
● "96. LOXIA.  ...  benghalensis.  23. L. grisea, pileo flavo, temporibus albidis, abdomine albido fusco-maculato.  Passer benghalensis, capite flavo. Edw. av. 189. t. 189. Alb. av. 2. p. 48. t. 52.  Habitat in Benghala." (Linnaeus 1758) (Ploceus).
● "83. RALLUS.  ...  benghalensis.  4. R. corpore vertice oculisque albis, capite colloque nigris, alis dorsoque viridibus, remigibus primariis rubro-maculatis.  Rallus benghalensis. Alb. av. 3. p. 85. t. 90.  Habitat in Asia." (Linnaeus 1758) (Rostratula).
● ex “Brown Indian Thrush” of Edwards 1751 (syn. Turdoides striata).

SUBSPECIES

Indian Roller (benghalensis)
SCI Name: Coracias benghalensis benghalensis
benghalense / benghalensis
Bengal, India (see bengalensis).
● "48. CORVUS.  ...  benghalensis.  6. C. vertice alis caudaque cæruleis, collo griseo.  Pica glandaria benghalensis. Alb. av. I. p. 17. t. 17.  Habitat in Benghala." (Linnaeus 1758) (Coracias). This name is the seventh toponym in avian nomenclature.
● "54. PICUS.  ...  benghalensis.  8. viridis, occipite rubro, nucha nigra, subtus anticeque albus nigro maculatus.  Picus benghalensis. Alb. av. 3. p. 21. t. 22. Edw. av. 182. l. 182.  Habitat in Benghala." (Linnaeus 1758) (Dinopium). This name is the tenth toponym in avian nomenclature.
● "96. LOXIA.  ...  benghalensis.  23. L. grisea, pileo flavo, temporibus albidis, abdomine albido fusco-maculato.  Passer benghalensis, capite flavo. Edw. av. 189. t. 189. Alb. av. 2. p. 48. t. 52.  Habitat in Benghala." (Linnaeus 1758) (Ploceus).
● "83. RALLUS.  ...  benghalensis.  4. R. corpore vertice oculisque albis, capite colloque nigris, alis dorsoque viridibus, remigibus primariis rubro-maculatis.  Rallus benghalensis. Alb. av. 3. p. 85. t. 90.  Habitat in Asia." (Linnaeus 1758) (Rostratula).
● ex “Brown Indian Thrush” of Edwards 1751 (syn. Turdoides striata).

Indian Roller (indicus)
SCI Name: Coracias benghalensis indicus
indicus
L. Indicus  Indian  < India  India. In early ornithology the term Indiis was also applied to the East Indies and, less frequently, to the West Indies and the Guianas.
● India and Tibet; ex “Barred-headed Goose” of Latham 1787 (Anser).
● Erroneous TL. India (= South Carolina) (syn. Baeolophus bicolor).
● Java; ex “Javan Hawk” of Latham 1781 (Butastur).
● ex “Indian Goatsucker” of Latham 1787 (Caprimulgus).
● ex “Drongolon” of Levaillant 1805, pl. 174, and “Long-tailed Shrike” of Latham 1822 (syn. Dicrurus macrocercus).
● ex "Psittaca indica coccinea” of Brisson, “Perruche des Indes orientales” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 143, “Lori Perruche violet et rouge” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Indian Lory” of Latham 1781 (syn. Eos histrio).
● ex “Lohaujung Heron” of Latham 1787 (syn. Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus).
● ex “Eastern black Cuckow” of Lastham 1787 (syn. Eudynamys scolopaceus).
● ex “Grand Vautour des Indes” of Sonnerat 1782 (Gyps).
● ex “Indian Curucui” of Latham 1787 (?syn. Harpactes fasciatus).
● ex “Merle des Indes orientales” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 273, fig. 2 (syn. Lalage nigra).
● ex “Smallest red and green Indian Paroquet” of Edwards 1743-1751, “Psittacula indica” of Brisson 1760, and “Red and green indian Parrot” of Latham 1781 (syn. Loriculus beryllinus).
● ex “Indian Jacana” of Latham 1787 (Metopidius).
● ex “Little Hawk Owl of Ceylon” of Pennant 1769, and “Indian Eared Owl” of Latham 1781 (syn. Otus bakkamoena).
● ex “Gélinote des Indes” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Indian Grous” of Latham 1783 (Pterocles).
● ex “White-chinned Bustard” of Latham 1783, and “Passarage Bustard” of Latham 1787 (Sypheotides).
● ex “Rossignol de muraille des Indes” of Sonnerat 1782 (Tarsiger).
● ex “Bécassine blanche des Indes” of Sonnerat 1776, and “White indian Snipe” of Latham 1785 (?Tringa erythropus).
● Erroneous TL. India (= Gamtoos River, Cape Province, South Africa); ex “Indian Coly” of Latham 1787 (Urocolius).
● ex “Vanneau armé des Indes” of de Buffon 1770-1785 (Vanellus).
● ex “Little redwinged Parrakeet” of Edwards 1758-1764, and “Psittaca indica” of Brisson 1760 (unident.).
● India; ex “Sicrin” of Levaillant 1801, pl. 82 (artefact).