Sao Tome Spinetail

SCI Name:  Zoonavena thomensis
Protonym:  Chaetura thomensis Bull.Br.Orn.Club 10 p.53
Taxonomy:  Caprimulgiformes / Apodidae / Zoonavena
Taxonomy Code:  satspi1
Type Locality:  Pedroma, Sao Thome.
Author:  Hartert, E
Publish Year:  1900
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

ZOONAVENA
(Apodidae; Ϯ Madagascar Spine-tail Swift Z. grandidieri) Genus Zoonava Mathews, 1914, swiftlet; L. suffix -ena  relating to (cf.  Gr. ζωον zōon  creature; L. advena  stranger); "The last form I will discriminate is perhaps more interesting than any of the others, as it suggests the keynote to the solution of the evolution of the Spine-tailed Swifts.  This is Chætura grandidieri Schlegel, which lives at Madagascar.  Superficially in every detail, save its tail, it is a "Collocalia" of the Zoonava group.  It absolutely agrees in detail as to coloration and, moreover, has the nostrils placed as in the "Collocalia" group, not as in the "Chætura" typical series.  Further, the second primary appears to be longest, which is a character of the former, but not of the latter.  The superficial resemblance is so great that it possesses a MS. name showing its determination as a "Collocalia."  A natural classification will almost certainly prove that is its nearest relationship and that the evolution of the Spine-tail is more recent than the acquisition of plumage coloration.  To initiate this quest, I propose to give it the new generic name ZOONAVENA with type Zoonavena grandidieri (Schlegel).  The tail-feathers are stiff, but the needle-points are quite minute." (Mathews 1918); "Zoonavena Mathews, Bds. Austr., 7, 1918, p. 265.  Type, by original designation and monotypy, Chaetura grandidieri Schlegel, i.e. Verreaux." (Peters, 1940, IV, p. 241).
Synon. Indicapus.

thome / thomensis
São Tomé or São Thomé, Gulf of Guinea (the island was sighted by Portuguese explorers on 21 December 1471, the feast day of St Thomas, the patron saint of Portugal).
● ?Erroneous TL. São Tomé (Estrilda).
● Erroneous TL. St Thomas; ex “Duc-laart” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Black-breasted Grebe” of Latham 1785 (syn. Podilymbus podiceps).
● Erroneous TL. St Thomas; ex “Grèbe de l’Isle St. Thomas” of Brisson 1760 (ex “Espèce de Plongeon” or “Mergus major leucophaeus” of Feuillée 1725) (syn. Podilymbus podiceps antillarum).