New Caledonian Myzomela

SCI Name:  Myzomela caledonica
Protonym:  Myzomela caledonica Proc.Zool.Soc.London Pt2 p.260
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Meliphagidae / Myzomela
Taxonomy Code:  necmyz1
Type Locality:  New Caledonia.
Author:  Forbes, WA
Publish Year:  1879
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

MYZOMELA
(Meliphagidae; Ϯ Scarlet Myzomela M. sanguinolenta) Gr. μυζαω muzaō  to suck; μελι meli  honey; "This section forms an interesting subdivision of the present group [Meliphagidae], as marking the passage to the Cinnyridæ ...  this type of form may be generically characterized as follows, the Mel. cardinalis being the normal species.  Genus. MYZOMELA.  Rostrum breve, gracile; culmine arcuato, ad basin subcultrato; naribus longitudinalibus, linearibus, perangustis, membrana supra tectis, rostri tertiam partem longitudine æquantibus.  Lingua, alæ, pedesque iidem fere ut in Meliphagis veris.  Cauda subbrevis, æqualis" (Vigors & Horsfield 1827); "Myzomela Vigors and Horsfield, 1827, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, 15, p. 318 [=316]. Type, by original designation, Meliphaga cardinalis Vigors and Horsfield = Certhia sanguinolenta Latham." (Salomonsen in Peters 1967, XII, 350).
Var. Mysomela.
Synon. Cosmeteira, Melomyza.    

caledonica / caledonicus
New Caledonia, sighted by Captain Cook in 1774, and so named because its forested and mountainous aspect reminded him of Scotland (L. Caledonia  highlands of Scotland).
● ex “New-Caledonian Crow” of Latham 1781 (Coracina).
● ex “Caledonian Night-Heron” of Latham 1785 (Nycticorax).
● ex “Olive Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (Pachycephala).
● Erroneous TL. New Caledonia (= Tasmania); ex “Caledonian Parrot” of Latham 1781 (Platycercus).
● Erroneous TL. New Caledonia (= Buton I., Celebes); ex “Caledonian Crow” of Latham 1801 (syn. Streptocitta albicollis).