Malayan Banded-Pitta

SCI Name:  Hydrornis irena
Protonym:  Pitta irena Pl.Col. livr.100 texttopl.591 (not figured)
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Pittidae / Hydrornis
Taxonomy Code:  banpit3
Type Locality:  Sumatra; restricted to northern Sumatra by Kloss, 1931, Treubia, 13, p. 333.
Author:  Temminck
Publish Year:  1836
IUCN Status:  Near Threatened

DEFINITIONS

HYDRORNIS
(Pittidae; Ϯ Blue-naped Pitta H. nipalensis) Gr. ὑδρο- hudro-  water-   < ὑδωρ hudōr, ὑδατος hudatos  water; ορνις ornis, ορνιθος ornithos  bird (see Paludicola); "Pitta nuchalis, Nobis, is identical with Hydrornis (olim Paludicola) Nipalensis, Hodgson, J.A.S. VI, 103: but it is barely separable from the great group of Pitta" (Blyth 1843); "Hydrornis Blyth, 1843, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, 12, p. 960. New name for Paludicola Hodgson, 1837. Type, by monotypy, Paludicola Nipalensis Hodgson." (Mayr in Peters, 1979, VIII, pp. 310-311).   
Synon. Anthocincla, Eucichla, Gigantipitta, Heleornis, Insignipitta, Iridipitta, Leucopitta, Merulanthus, Ornatipitta, Paludicola.

IRENA
(Irenidae; Ϯ Asian Fairy-bluebird I. puella) Gr. myth. Irene or Eirene, goddess of peace and plenty (cf. "Eιρηνη, peace: - how connected I know not" (Ashmolean 1836)). "Gen. 16. IRENA.   ...   The striking and distinctive characters of this genus are, the nares covered with velvet-like feathers, from the base of which strong vibrissæ are protruded, the short feet and the weakness of the claws.  It is nearest to Turdus and Oriolus.  From the former it differs in the greater arch of the beak and the lateral convexity of the sides of the culmen; from the latter in the curvature of the beak and the elevation of the culmen.  It differs from both in the velvet-like covering of the nares, and in the lateral grooves of the upper mandible.  The bill is also shorter and more convex than in Meliphaga, which has a semblance of a similar membrane over the nares, but is destitute of the downy covering.    Spec. 1. Irena puella mihi.  Coracias puella, Lath. Ind. Orn.  171.  Bressi Javanis." (Horsfield 1821); "Irena Horsfield, 1821, Trans. Linn. Soc., 13, pl. 1, p. 153. Type, by monotypy, Coracias puella Latham." (Delacour in Peters 1960, IX, 307).
Var. Irene, Jrena.
Synon. Glauconympha, Irenella.

irena
Gr. myth. Irene, goddess of peace and plenty.
● ex “Merle vert des Moluques” of Brisson 1760, and “Brêve Irene” of Temminck 1836 (Hydrornis).