Pacific Heron

SCI Name:  Ardea pacifica
Protonym:  Ardea pacifica Suppl.ind.orn. p.xlv
Taxonomy:  Pelecaniformes / Ardeidae / Ardea
Taxonomy Code:  pacher1
Type Locality:  New South Wales.
Author:  Latham
Publish Year:  1801
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

ARDEA
(Ardeidae; Ϯ Grey Heron A. cinerea) L. ardea  heron. In Roman myth. the town of Ardea, capital of the Rutuli, was razed to the ground, and from the ashes rose a pale, lean bird, shaking the cinders from its wings and uttering mournful cries; "76. ARDEA.  Rostrum rectum, acutum, longum, subcompressum, sulco e naribus, versus apicem exaratum.  Pedes tetradactyli." (Linnaeus 1758); "Ardea Linnaeus, 1758, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, p. 141. Type, by subsequent designation (G. R. Gray, 1840, List Gen. Birds, p. 60), Ardea cinerea Linnaeus." (Payne in Peters, 1979, I, ed. 2, p. 195). Linnaeus's Ardea comprised nineteen species (A. pavonina, A. Virgo, A. canadensis, A. Grus, A. americana, A. Antigone, A. Ciconia, A. nigra, A. Nycticorax, A. cinerea, A. Herodias, A. violacea, A. cærulea, A. striata, A. virescens, A. stellaris, A. alba, A. Ibis, A. æquinoctialis).
Var. Ardaea, Ardeae, Ardua.   
Synon. Afrardea, Ardeomega, Audubonia, Casmerodius, Erodius, Herodias, Megerodius, Mesophoyx, Myola, Phoyx, Pyrrherodia, Tonophoyx, Typhon.

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).