Ryukyu Scops-Owl

SCI Name:  Otus elegans
Protonym:  Ephialtes elegans Proc.Acad.Nat.Sci.Philadelphia 6 p.185
Taxonomy:  Strigiformes / Strigidae / Otus
Taxonomy Code:  ryusco1
Type Locality:  At sea off the coast of Japan, lat. 29° 4r N., long. 126° 13'' 20'' E.
Author:  Cassin
Publish Year:  1852
IUCN Status:  Near Threatened

DEFINITIONS

OTUS
(Strigidae; Ϯ Indian Scops Owl O. bakkamoena) L. otus  small eared owl  < Gr. ωτος ōtos  eared owl; "III.  OTUS BAKKAMOENA.  The Little Horn Owl.   THIS elegant species is found in Ceylon, is called there Bakkamoena, and is a scarce species even in that island.   It is represented of its natural size. The irides are scarlet: the horns take their origin from the base of the bill, and point to the sides of the head: on their inner side they are dusky, on their exterior white.  The bill is dusky, surrounded with long bristles: the circle of feathers round the eyes is of a very pale ash-color: the external circle of a yellowish brown.  The head of a deep ash-color: the back dusky: coverts of the wings grey, marked with narrow lines of black, pointing downwards: the quil feathers regularly barred with black and white: the breast buff-colored, marked with small sagittal black spots: the legs feathered half way down: the naked part of a reddish yellow." (Pennant 1769); "Otus Pennant, Indian Zool., 1769, p. 3. Type, by monotypy, Otus bakkamoena Pennant." (Peters 1940, IV, 86).  
Var. Otis.   
Synon. Acnemis, Athenoptera, Ephialtes, Gymnoscops, Heteroscops, Lempijius, Pisorhina, Scops, Scototheres, Zorca.

otus
L. otus  eared owl  < Gr. ωτος ōtos  eared owl; "42. STRIX.  ...  Otus.  4. S. capite auriculato pennis senis. Faun. svec. 47.  Otus s. Asio. Bell. av. 25. 6. Aldr. orn. 1. 8. c. 3. Will. ornith. 64. t. 12. Raj. av. 25. Frisch. av. t. 99. Alb. av. 2.. p. 10. t. 10.  Habitat in Europa.  Cristæ auritæ albidæ fasciis sex fuscis." (Linnaeus 1758) (Asio).

elegans
L. elegans, elegantis  elegant, fine  < elegere probably an early form of eligere   to select.
● ex “Pic jaune tacheté de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 524 (Celeus).
● ex “Bucco maynanensis” of Brisson 1760, “Barbu des Maynas” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 330, “Beau Tamatia” of de Buffon 1770-1786, and “Beautiful Barbet” of Latham 1782 (syn. Eubucco versicolor).
● ex “Perdix martineta” of de Azara 1802-1805 (Eudromia).
● ex “Tangara de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 114, fig. 1 (syn. Euphonia chlorotica).
● ex “Beautiful Lory” of Latham 1781, ?and “Pennantian Parrot” of Latham 1787 (Platycercus).
● ex “Kink de la Chine” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 617 (syn. Sturnia sinensis).

SUBSPECIES

Ryukyu Scops-Owl (elegans)
SCI Name: Otus elegans elegans
elegans
L. elegans, elegantis  elegant, fine  < elegere probably an early form of eligere   to select.
● ex “Pic jaune tacheté de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 524 (Celeus).
● ex “Bucco maynanensis” of Brisson 1760, “Barbu des Maynas” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 330, “Beau Tamatia” of de Buffon 1770-1786, and “Beautiful Barbet” of Latham 1782 (syn. Eubucco versicolor).
● ex “Perdix martineta” of de Azara 1802-1805 (Eudromia).
● ex “Tangara de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 114, fig. 1 (syn. Euphonia chlorotica).
● ex “Beautiful Lory” of Latham 1781, ?and “Pennantian Parrot” of Latham 1787 (Platycercus).
● ex “Kink de la Chine” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 617 (syn. Sturnia sinensis).

Ryukyu Scops-Owl (interpositus)
SCI Name: Otus elegans interpositus
interposita / interpositus
L. interpositus  interposed, introduced  < interponere  to interpose.
● "Similar to O. japonicus japonicus, but differs in having the wing and bill longer and stouter, and the coloration rather darker. It also differs from O. japonicus elegans in having the upper parts paler and less rufous in tone, and in having the wing and culmen perceptibly shorter" (Kuroda 1923) (subsp. Otus elegans).

Ryukyu Scops-Owl (botelensis)
SCI Name: Otus elegans botelensis
botelensis
Botel Tobago I. (= Tabakoshima = Kotosho = Botol), Pacific Ocean off east coast of Taiwan.

Ryukyu Scops-Owl (calayensis)
SCI Name: Otus elegans calayensis
calayanensis / calayensis
Calayan I., Babuyan Is., Philippines.