Pacific Antwren

SCI Name:  Myrmotherula pacifica
Protonym:  Myrmotherula surinamensis pacifica Proc.Zool.Soc.London Pt4 p.1159,1161
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Thamnophilidae / Myrmotherula
Taxonomy Code:  pacant
Type Locality:  Buenaventura, Choco, western Colombia.
Author:  Hellmayr
Publish Year:  1911
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

MYRMOTHERULA
(Thamnophilidae; Ϯ Pygmy Antwren M. brachyura) Dim. < genus Myrmothera Vieillot, 1816, antpitta; "GENUS II. MYRMOTHERULA.  Cauda brevis; sæpe brevissima: rectricibus plerumque duodecim, interdum decem: rostrum tenue, subulatum, non magis altum quam latum: acrotarsiis et paratarsiis divisis.  In M. pygmæa and the next following species of this genus the tail is very diminutive, and the tail-feathers are much narrowed. In the latter part of the series it is longer and more broadly feathered, but never so elongated as in true Formicivora. The general facies of these two genera is otherwise nearly the same.   1. MYRMOTHERULA PYGMÆA.  Gobemouche à poitrine orangée de Cayenne, Buff. Pl. Enl. 831. fig. 2.  Muscicapa pygmæa, Gm. S. N. i. p. 933.  Myrmothera minuta, D'Orb. Voy. p. 184?  Formicivora pygmæa, Cab. Orn. Not. p. 227; Bp. Consp. p. 200; Sclater, P.Z.S. 1855, p. 147.   ...   2. MYRMOTHERULA SURINAMENSIS   ...   3. MYRMOTHERULA MULTOSTRIATA   ...   4. MYRMOTHERULA GUTTATA   ...   5. MYRMOTHERULA GULARIS   ...   6. MYRMOTHERULA HÆMATONOTA   ...   7. MYRMOTHERULA ORNATA   ...   8. MYRMOTHERULA HAUXWELLI   ...   9. MYRMOTHERULA ERYTHRONOTA   ...   10. MYRMOTHERULA AXILLARIS.  Le grisin de Cayenne, femelle, Buff.   ...   11. MYRMOTHERULA MELÆNA   ...   12. MYRMOTHERULA MENETRIESI   ...   13. MYRMOTHERULA BREVICAUDA   ...   14. MYRMOTHERULAUROSTICTA" (P. Sclater 1858); "Myrmotherula Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, pt. 26, 1858, p. 234. Type, by subsequent designation, M. pygmaea, i.e. Muscicapa pygmaea Gmelin = Muscicapa brachyura Hermann (Sclater, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., 15, 1890, p. 229)." (Peters 1951, VII, 188).
Var. Myrmetherula, Myrmotheula, Mormotherula.
Synon. Myrmopagis, Myrmophila, Myrmotherium, Poliolaema.

pacifica
L. pacificus  peaceful  < pax, pacis  peace; facere  to make. The Pacific Ocean was so-named by the Portuguese explorer Fernão de Magalhães or Magellan in 1520, contrasting its calm waters with the stormy seas of Cape Horn  The toponym refers to islands in the Pacific Ocean as well as localities on Pacific Ocean coasts.
● New Caledonia; ex “Pacific Shrike” of Latham 1781 (syn. Aplonis striata).
● New South Wales, Australia; ex “Pacific Heron” of Latham 1785 (Ardea).
● Pacific Ocean; ex “Pacific Petrel” of Latham 1785; "Inhabits Euopoa, and other islands of the Pacific Ocean." (Ardenna).
● Erroneous TL. Friendly Is. (= Hawaii); ex “Great Hook-billed Creeper” of Latham 1782 (‡Drepanis).
● Tonga Is.; ex “Ferruginous-vented Pigeon” of Latham 1783 (Ducula).
● Erroneous TL. Friendly Isles, Pacific Ocean (= Jamaica) (syn. Geotrygon versicolor).
● Botany Bay, New Holland; ex “Pacific Paroquet (var.)” of Phillip 1789 (syn. Glossopsitta concinna).
● Tahiti; ex “Pacific Rail” of Latham 1785 (Hypotaenidia).
● Pacific Islands; ex “Pacific Thrush” of Latham 1783 (syn. Lalage maculosa).