Japanese Night-Heron

SCI Name:  Gorsachius goisagi
Protonym:  Nycticorax goisagi Pl.Col. livr.98 pl.582,text
Taxonomy:  Pelecaniformes / Ardeidae / Gorsachius
Taxonomy Code:  janher1
Type Locality:  Japan.
Author:  Temminck
Publish Year:  1836
IUCN Status:  Vulnerable

DEFINITIONS

GORSACHIUS
(Ardeidae; Ϯ Japanese Night Heron G. goisagi) Specific name Ardea goisagi Temminck, 1836; “122. Gorsachius, Pucheran.  (Nycticorax! part. Gr.) Rostrum breve fere CUCULACEUM (LEPTOSOMI!)   As. or.  1.   ARDEA GOISAKI, Temm. (Botaurus goisagi, Reich. - Nycticorax goisagi, Gr. - Gorsachius typus, Pucheran.) Pl. col. 582. juv.. - Schleg., Faun. Jap. Av. t. 75. - Reich., Syst. Av. t. 149. f. 2566 et 2567. - Mus. Paris. adult. 1829. a Brossardo. et juv. a Temm. ex Japan. nec Ins. Philippensibus.” (Bonaparte 1855); "Gorsachius Bonaparte, Consp. Av., 2, 1855, p. 138. Type, by monotypy, Nycticorax goisagi Temminck." (Peters, 1931, I, p. 117).   
Var. Goisachius, Goisakius, Goraschius, Gorsakius.   
Synon. Butio, Limnophylax, Oroanassa.

goisagi
Japanese name Goi-sagi for the Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax < goi fifth rank < go fifth; i rank; sagi heron. In Japanese classical folklore the all-powerful Emperor Daigo (reigned 897-930 AD) ordered a vassal to capture a Black-crowned Night Heron. Upon hearing the imperial command the heron submitted itself to capture. The emperor was pleased that the heron had confirmed his omnipotence over nature as well as man, granted it the title ‘king of the herons’ and the position of fifth rank in his court, and released it unharmed (Hirokatsu Nagai in litt.) (Gorsachius).