Marbled Wren-Babbler

SCI Name:  Turdinus marmoratus
Protonym:  Turdinus marmoratus Proc.Zool.Soc.London Pt1 p.15
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Pellorneidae / Turdinus
Taxonomy Code:  mawbab1
Type Locality:  Padang Highlands, western Sumatra.
Author:  Wardlaw Ramsay
Publish Year:  1880
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

TURDINUS
(Pellorneidae; Ϯ Large Wren-babbler T. macrodactylus) Mod. L. turdinus  thrush-like  < L. turdus  thrush; "Macronous  ...  Next to it, I had arranged a bird which has recently been described by Mr. Strickland by the name Malacopteron macrodactylum (Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 1844, p. 417), but I still consider it to merit separation, from the general robustness of its conformation, and the great strength of the tarse and of the middle and hind toes. The bill closely resembles that of Macronous.  I designate it Turdinus, Nobis.  Form somewhat Meruline, thick-set, with large strong legs and toes, and rounded wings and tail.  Bill as long as the head, moderately stout, straight, compressed, the ridge of the upper mandible angulated, its tip emarginated, and curving over that of the lower mandible; nostrils oval, and pierced in the fore-part of the nasal membrane, at some distance from the frontal feathers; rictus well armed: legs stout, the tarse equalling the middle toe with its claw; outer and inner toes equal, and proportionally small, their terminal joint reaching only to the penultimate joint of the middle toe; hind toe strong, and furnished with a rather large claw, but moderately curved: wings much graduated, the fifth to the ninth primaries inclusive subequal and longest, the first about half their length; tail also graduated externally, and hollowed underneath; plumage lax and scale-like, at least on the upper-parts, very copious and puffy over the rump.    T. macrodactylus, (Strickland) Blyth.   ...   Brought from Singapore." (Blyth 1844).
Synon. Cacopitta, Curzonia, Gypsophila, Hadropezus.
● See: Turdinulus

turdinus
Mod. L. turdinus  thrush-like  < L. turdus  thrush (see turdina).

marmorata / marmoratum / marmoratus
L. marmoratus  marbled  < marmor, marmoris  marble  < Gr. μαρμαρος marmaros  marble  < μαρμαιρω marmairō  to sparkle.
● ex “Marbled Guillemot” of Pennant 1785, and Latham 1785 (Brachyramphus).
● ex “Marbled Godwit” of Latham 1785, and Pennant 1787 (syn. Limosa fedoa).
● ex “Mbatuitui pecho listado” of de Azara 1802-1805, nos. 389, 390 (syn. Pluvialis dominica).
● ex “Garza jaspeada” (= ☼) of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 353 (subsp. Tigrisoma lineatum).

SUBSPECIES

Marbled Wren-Babbler (grandior)
SCI Name: Turdinus marmoratus grandior
grandior
L. grandior, grandioris  sublime, lofty  < comp. grandis  great.

Marbled Wren-Babbler (marmoratus)
SCI Name: Turdinus marmoratus marmoratus
marmorata / marmoratum / marmoratus
L. marmoratus  marbled  < marmor, marmoris  marble  < Gr. μαρμαρος marmaros  marble  < μαρμαιρω marmairō  to sparkle.
● ex “Marbled Guillemot” of Pennant 1785, and Latham 1785 (Brachyramphus).
● ex “Marbled Godwit” of Latham 1785, and Pennant 1787 (syn. Limosa fedoa).
● ex “Mbatuitui pecho listado” of de Azara 1802-1805, nos. 389, 390 (syn. Pluvialis dominica).
● ex “Garza jaspeada” (= ☼) of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 353 (subsp. Tigrisoma lineatum).