Rusty-backed Antwren

SCI Name:  Formicivora rufa
Protonym:  Myiothera rufa Beitr.Naturgesch.Brasil. 3 p.1095
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Thamnophilidae / Formicivora
Taxonomy Code:  rubant4
Type Locality:  interior of Baia.
Author:  zu Wied
Publish Year:  1831
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

FORMICIVORA
(Thamnophilidae; Ϯ Southern White-fringed Antwren F. grisea) L. formica  ant; -vorus  -eating  < vorare  to devour; "It is at this stage of our progression that I propose to fix the limits of Thamnophilus, and pass into the genus Formicivora: here the bill is no longer robust; but narrow, slender, and more cylindrical; the under mandible weak, and the gonix nearly strait; the tail of some species is even longer and more cuneated than in the last group" (Swainson 1824); "FORMICIVORA.  Rostrum mediocre, subcylindraceum, gonyde recta; vibrissæ nullæ.  Alæ breves, rotundatæ, remige 4ta vel 5ta longissima.  Cauda gradata.  Tarsi mediocres, graciles; squamis lateralibus frequentibus.   ...   The Formicivoræ or Ant-Wrens, are all of them very small; and in an artificial arrangement might very well be associated with the Warblers. In all but their slender bill, they present a perfect miniature resemblance to the true Thamnophili, even to the lateral scales of their tarsi, which are small and numerous. They differ from the Drymophilæ by their comparatively short legs, which are obviously not intended for walking. We know little of their natural economy, further than that they frequent bushes and the low branches of trees, which they probably cleanse of those small insects, passed over by their more powerful brethren.   ...   1. FORMICIVORA maculata.  White-spotted Ant-Wren.   ...   2. FORMICIVORA nigricollis.  Black throated Ant-Wren.   ...   3. FORMICIVORA brevicauda.  Short tailed Ant-Wren." (Swainson 1825); "Formicivora Swainson, Zool. Journ., 1, 1824, p. 301, in text. Diagnosis only; species added, Swainson, Zool. Journ., 2, 1825, p. 145-149. Type, by subsequent designation, Formicivora nigricollis Swainson = Turdus griseus Boddaert (G. R. Gray, List Gen. Bds., 1840, p. 25)." (Peters, 1951, VII, p. 206).
Var. Formicivor.
Synon. Myrmecophila, Neorhopias, Stymphalornis.

formicivora
L. formica  ant; -vorus  -eating  < vorare  to devour.
● ex “Traquet Fourmilier” of Levaillant 1806, pl. 186 (Myrmecocichla).

rufa
L. rufus  red, ruddy. In ornithology rufus, rufa and rufum cover a wide spectrum of colours from yellow, orange and brown to crimson, scarlet and purple.
● "91. TETRAO.  ...  rufus.  8. T. rostro pedibusque sanguineis, gula alba cincta fascia nigra albo-punctata.  Tetrao rectricibus cinereis: superiore medietate hinc inde rufis. Fn. svec. 171.  Perdix rufa s. major. Gesn. av. 682. Aldr. orn. l. 13. c. 18. Jonst. av. 68. t. 27. Will. orn. 118. t. 29. Raj. av. 57. Alb. av. I. p. 29. t. 29.  Habitat in Europa australiori.” (Linnaeus 1758) (Alectoris).
● ex “Anhinga roux” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (Anhinga).
● ex “Ferrugineous Duck” of Pennant 1776 (?syn. Aythya nyroca).
● ex “Pie rousse de la Chine” of Sonnerat 1782 (syn. Dendrocitta vagabunda).
● ex “Aigrette rousse de la Louisiane” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 902 (syn. Egretta rufescens).
● ex “Hirondelle à ventre roux de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 724, fig. 1, and “Rufous-bellied Swallow” of Latham 1783 (syn. Hirundo erythrogaster).
● ex “Alouette noire de la Encenada” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 738, fig. 2, and “Alouette noire à dos fauve” of de Buffon 1770-1785 (Lessonia).
● ex “Lanius madagascariensis rufus” of Brisson 1760 (Schetba).
● ex “Fauvette rousse” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 581, fig. 1 (?syn. Sylvia communis).
● ex “Kleinste Grasmücke” of Frisch 1733, “Curruca rufa” of Brisson 1760, “Fauvette rousse” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 581, fig. 1, and de Buffon 1770-1786, and “Rufous Warbler” of Latham 1783 (?syn. Sylvia communis).
● ex “Schet Roux” of Levaillant 1805, pl. 147 (syn. Terpsiphone mutata).

SUBSPECIES

Rusty-backed Antwren (urubambae)
SCI Name: Formicivora rufa urubambae
urubambae / urubambensis
Río Urubamba, Peru.

Rusty-backed Antwren (chapmani)
SCI Name: Formicivora rufa chapmani
chapmani
Frank Michler Chapman (1864-1945) US ornithologist, Curator of Ornithology AMNH 1908-1942, collector (Calidris, Chaetura, subsp. Chordeiles minor, subsp. Conopophaga castaneiceps, syn. Crax rubra, subsp. Formicivora rufa, syn. Gallinago jamesoni, syn. Hemispingus melanotis piurae, subsp. Hydrobates leucorhous, subsp. Mecocerculus leucophrys, subsp. Micropygia schomburgkii, subsp. Myiodynastes maculatus, subsp. Myiothlypis coronata, syn. Odontophorus gujanensis marmoratus, syn. Pachyramphus polychopterus dorsalis, subsp. Patagioenas plumbea, syn. Petrochelidon rufocollaris aequatorialis,  Pogonotriccus, subsp. Pulsatrix perspicillata, subsp. Pyrrhura melanura, subsp. Schistes geoffroyi, subsp. Sicalis luteola, syn. Synallaxis brachyura nigrofumosa).

Rusty-backed Antwren (rufa)
SCI Name: Formicivora rufa rufa
rufa
L. rufus  red, ruddy. In ornithology rufus, rufa and rufum cover a wide spectrum of colours from yellow, orange and brown to crimson, scarlet and purple.
● "91. TETRAO.  ...  rufus.  8. T. rostro pedibusque sanguineis, gula alba cincta fascia nigra albo-punctata.  Tetrao rectricibus cinereis: superiore medietate hinc inde rufis. Fn. svec. 171.  Perdix rufa s. major. Gesn. av. 682. Aldr. orn. l. 13. c. 18. Jonst. av. 68. t. 27. Will. orn. 118. t. 29. Raj. av. 57. Alb. av. I. p. 29. t. 29.  Habitat in Europa australiori.” (Linnaeus 1758) (Alectoris).
● ex “Anhinga roux” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (Anhinga).
● ex “Ferrugineous Duck” of Pennant 1776 (?syn. Aythya nyroca).
● ex “Pie rousse de la Chine” of Sonnerat 1782 (syn. Dendrocitta vagabunda).
● ex “Aigrette rousse de la Louisiane” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 902 (syn. Egretta rufescens).
● ex “Hirondelle à ventre roux de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 724, fig. 1, and “Rufous-bellied Swallow” of Latham 1783 (syn. Hirundo erythrogaster).
● ex “Alouette noire de la Encenada” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 738, fig. 2, and “Alouette noire à dos fauve” of de Buffon 1770-1785 (Lessonia).
● ex “Lanius madagascariensis rufus” of Brisson 1760 (Schetba).
● ex “Fauvette rousse” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 581, fig. 1 (?syn. Sylvia communis).
● ex “Kleinste Grasmücke” of Frisch 1733, “Curruca rufa” of Brisson 1760, “Fauvette rousse” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 581, fig. 1, and de Buffon 1770-1786, and “Rufous Warbler” of Latham 1783 (?syn. Sylvia communis).
● ex “Schet Roux” of Levaillant 1805, pl. 147 (syn. Terpsiphone mutata).