Pilbara Grasswren

SCI Name:  Amytornis whitei
Protonym:  Amytornis whitei Bull.Br.Orn.Club 25 p.34
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Maluridae / Amytornis
Taxonomy Code:  strgra4
Type Locality:  Coongan River, midwestern Australia.
Author:  Mathews
Publish Year:  1910
IUCN Status:  

DEFINITIONS

AMYTORNIS
(Maluridae; Ϯ Thick-billed Grasswren A. textilis) Genus Amytis Lesson, 1831, grasswren; Gr. ορνις ornis, ορνιθος ornithos  bird; "Textile Wren ... its mode of progression on the ground is such as no description can convey an accurate conception of, and must be seen to be understood: I cannot perhaps compare it with anything, unless with the motion of an Indian-rubber ball when thrown forcibly along the ground. While stealing from bush to bush, with this rapid movement, its head low and tail perfectly erect, it presents an exceedingly droll appearance" (Gould 1865); "Malurinæ  ...  Amytornis textilis, with two allied species, also from Australia, belong here, wren-like birds of brown plumage, with curious whitish longitudinal streaks" (Stejneger 1885); "Amytornis Stejneger, 1885, in Kingsley, Standard Nat. Hist., 4, p. 499. New name for Amytis Lesson, 1831, preoccupied by Amytis Savigny, 1822." (Mayr in Peters, 1986, XI, p. 404).   
Synon. Amictus, Amytis, Cryptamytis, Diaphorillas, Eyramytis, Magnamytis, Mytisa.

whitei
● Capt. Samuel Albert White (1870-1954) Australian Army, explorer, collector, ornithologist (subsp. Acanthiza lineata, syn. Aphelocephala leucopsis, syn. Ashbyia lovensis, syn. Barnardius zonarius, syn. Colluricincla harmonica rufiventris, syn. Dasyornis broadbenti, syn. Manorina melanocephala, syn. Phalacrocorax varius, syn. Platalea flavipes, syn. Polytelis swainsonii, syn. Porzana fluminea, syn. Psitteuteles versicolor, syn. Ptilotula penicillata, syn. Rhipidura albiscapa alisteri, syn. Tribonyx ventralis, syn. Tyto novaehollandiae).
● Henry Luke White (1860-1927) Australian philatelist, oologist, collector (subsp. Amytornis striatus, Falcunculus).
● Charles Matthew Newton White (1914-1978) British colonial administrator in Northern Rhodesia/ Zambia, ornithologist, anthropologist, linguist (subsp. Apalis thoracica, syn. Prodotiscus regulus, syn. Pternistis squamatus).
● Alfred Henry Ebsworth White (1901-1964) Australian field-naturalist, son of collector Henry L. White (see Lacustroica) (Conopophila).
● Sir Herbert Thirkell White (1855-1931) British colonial administrator in Burma 1878-1905, Lt.-Gov. of Burma 1905-1910 (subsp. Cyornis banyumas).
● Samuel White (1835-1880) English settler in Australia (1842), collector, explorer, father of Samuel A. White (syn. Glycichaera fallax poliocephala, syn. Malurus splendens callainus, syn. Malurus splendens melanotus).
● Revd. Gilbert White (1720-1793) English naturalist, antiquarian, author (syn. Zoothera aurea).
● See: whiteae