Ocellated Turkey

SCI Name:  Meleagris ocellata
Protonym:  Meleagris ocellata Mem.Mus.Hist.Nat. 6 p.1-4 pl.1
Taxonomy:  Galliformes / Phasianidae / Meleagris
Taxonomy Code:  ocetur1
Type Locality:  Gulf of Honduras.
Author:  Cuvier
Publish Year:  1820
IUCN Status:  Near Threatened

DEFINITIONS

MELEAGRIS
(Meleagrididae; Ϯ Wild Turkey M. gallopavo) Gr. μελεαγρις meleagris, μελεαγριδος meleagridos  guineafowl; "88. MELEAGRIS.  Caput carunculis spongiosis tectum." (Linnaeus 1758); "Meleagris Linné, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, p. 156. Type, by tautonymy, Meleagris gallopavo Linné (Meleagris, prebinomial specific name in synonymy.)" (Peters 1934, II, 139). Linnaeus's Meleagris comprised three species (M. Gallopavo, M. cristata, M. Satyra). The names Turkey, Turkeycock and Turkeyhen were used for guineafowl from the 16th to the early 18th centuries because they were brought from Africa to Europe through the Ottoman or Turkish dominions. By this confusion Linnaeus used the generic term Meleagris for the American Wild Turkey, which was unknown to the ancients. When the guineafowl and turkey were subsequently distinguished as separate species Turkey was retained for the American bird.   
Var. Meliagris, Melaeacris.   
Synon. Agriocharis, Cochramus, Eumeleagris, Cynchramus, Gallopavo, Meleagrops, Parapavo, Pseudotaon.
● (syn. Numida Ϯ Tufted Guineafowl N. meleagris) "Gallus vertice corneo. . . .la Peintade" (Linnaeus 1756) (cf. specific name Phasianus meleagris Linnaeus, 1758); "48. POULE PEINTARDE, in 't Latyn Meleagris.  By LINNÆUS een soort van Hoen. Gallus Syst. Nat. gesl. 68.  Pientarde by PERR. Mem. des Anim. 134 is 'er eene zeer goede figuur yan" (Moehring 1758).

meleagris
L. meleagris, meleagridis  guineafowl  < Gr. μελεαγρις meleagris,  μελεαγριδος meleagridos  guineafowl (e.g. spotted and streaked).
● "O. Meleagris Wagl.  ...  In der Färbung ist dieses prachtvolle Zahnhuhn mit unserem europäischen Frankolin, aber noch mehr mit dem madagascarischen (Perd. madagasc. et P. perlata Lath.) verwandt, und bildet dadurch den Uebergang zu diesen Hühnern von den Zahnhühnern. — Hernandez beschreibt es nicht." (Wagler 1832) (syn. Cyrtonyx montezumae).
● "Magnitudo Galli  ...  Occiput et nucha plumis arriguis, linearibus, (ut in gallis castratis sunt) gryseo-albis" (Pallas 1811) (syn. Neophron percnopterus).
● "90. PHASIANUS.  ...  Meleagris.  2. P. vertice calloso, temporibus carunculatis.  Gallina vertice corneo. Hasselqv. iter. 274.  Gallus vertice corneo. Syst. nat. 28.  Gallina guinea. Worm. mus. 297.  Gallina africana. Marcgr. bras. 78.  Gallus niger, maculis ovalibus & orbiculatis. Barr. av. 79.*  Gallina guineensis. Worm. mus. 297. t. 297. Olear. mus.  . t. 15. f. 3. Raj. av. 52. Alb. av. 2. p. 32. t. 35. Will. orn. 162. t. 26. Aldr. av. l. 14. c. 13.  Habitat in Africa." (Linnaeus 1758) (Numida).

ocellata / ocellatum / ocellatus
L. ocellatus  ocellated, marked with eyelets < ocellus  eyelet  < dim. oculus  eye.
● ex “Capocier” or “Capolier” of Levaillant 1801-1804, pl. 130, fig. 1 (syn. Prinia maculosa).
● ex “Caille de l’Isle de Luçon” of Sonnerat 1776 (Turnix).