Rockrunner

SCI Name:  Achaetops pycnopygius
Protonym:  Sphenoeacus pycnopygius Contrib.Orn.[Jardine] -1852 p.148
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Macrosphenidae / Achaetops
Taxonomy Code:  damroc1
Type Locality:  Damaraland, South West Africa; restricted to the Omaruru River, South West Africa, by Vincent, 1949, Ostrich, 20, p. 150, and to the Erongo Mountains, by Macdonald, 1957, Contrib. Ornith. Western South Africa, pp. 114-115.
Author:  Sclater, PL
Publish Year:  1853
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

ACHAETOPS
(Macrosphenidae; Ϯ Rockrunner A. pycnopygius) L. ad- (a- before c) resembling; genus Chaetops Swainson, 1832, rockjumper; "Chaetops pychnopygius [sic] (Strickland and Sclater) differs from the typical species of the genus, notably in its much shorter legs, and softer feathers on the crown, and may be separated under the new generic name of ACHAETOPS, of which it will be the monotype." (A. Roberts 1922); "Achaetops A. Roberts, Annals Transvaal Mus., VIII (4), p. 227.  Type, by monotypy and original designation, Chaetops pychnopygius (Strickland and Sclater) = Sphenoeacus pycnopygius P. Sclater, 1852." (JAJ 2020).

PYCNOPYGIUS
(Meliphagidae; Ϯ Streak-headed Honeyeater P. stictocephalus) Gr. πυκνος puknos  thick, dense; -πυγιος -pugios  -rumped  < πυγη pugē  rump; "51. Pycnopygius (¹) stictocephalus (Salvad.), Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. IX, p. 34 (1876).  Hab. in Papuasia — Nova Guinea   ...   (¹) Pycnopygius, Salvad. nov. gen. — Habitus specierum generis Pycnonoti; rostro breviusculo, culmine incurvato, alis mediocribus, cauda mediocri, aequali; pedibus parvis; ptilosi laxa, copiosa." (Salvadori 1880); "Pycnopygius Salvadori, 1880, Ann. Mus. Civ. Genova, 16, p. 78. Type, by monotypy, Pycnonotus (?) stictocephalus Salvadori." (Salomonsen in Peters 1967, XII, 401).

pycnopygius
Gr. πυκνος puknos  thick, dense; -πυγιος -pugios  -rumped  < πυγη pugē  rump.

SUBSPECIES

Rockrunner (pycnopygius)
SCI Name: Achaetops pycnopygius pycnopygius
PYCNOPYGIUS
(Meliphagidae; Ϯ Streak-headed Honeyeater P. stictocephalus) Gr. πυκνος puknos  thick, dense; -πυγιος -pugios  -rumped  < πυγη pugē  rump; "51. Pycnopygius (¹) stictocephalus (Salvad.), Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. IX, p. 34 (1876).  Hab. in Papuasia — Nova Guinea   ...   (¹) Pycnopygius, Salvad. nov. gen. — Habitus specierum generis Pycnonoti; rostro breviusculo, culmine incurvato, alis mediocribus, cauda mediocri, aequali; pedibus parvis; ptilosi laxa, copiosa." (Salvadori 1880); "Pycnopygius Salvadori, 1880, Ann. Mus. Civ. Genova, 16, p. 78. Type, by monotypy, Pycnonotus (?) stictocephalus Salvadori." (Salomonsen in Peters 1967, XII, 401).

Rockrunner (spadix)
SCI Name: Achaetops pycnopygius spadix
spadix
L. spadix, spadicis  chestnut-brown  < Gr. σπαδιξ spadix, σπαδικος spadikos  palm-coloured, bay  < σπαω spaō  to pluck.