Slender-billed Starling

SCI Name:  Onychognathus tenuirostris
Protonym:  Lamprotornis tenuirostris NeueWirbelth.Vog. p.26
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Sturnidae / Onychognathus
Taxonomy Code:  slbsta1
Type Locality:  Ethiopia.
Author:  Rüppell
Publish Year:  1836
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

ONYCHOGNATHUS
(Sturnidae; Ϯ Chestnut-winged Starling O. fulgidus) Gr. ονυξ onux, ονυχος onukhos  claw, nail; γναθος gnathos  jaw; "1. Onychognathus, Nob., n. gen.  Familia Sturnidæ, subfam.— Ptilonorhynchinæ, Gray.   Char. gen. rostrum (pl. 14, fig. 2). Capite longius, compressum, grypanium, aduncum, culmine arcuato, basi applanato-rotundato; apice acuto elongato uncinato.  Cauda valde gradata, elongata; rectrices angustæ debiles, apice rotundatæ.  Alæ mediocres, remige prima spuria; tertia, quarta et quinta cæteris longioribus, æqualibus; remiges tertiariæ (pl. 14, f. 3) et tectrices alæ majores structuram exhibent valde extraordinariam; pogonium externum fascia longitudinali holosericea in duo quasi dimidia dispertitur, quorum unum superius (sæpo proximum) ordinarium, alterum inferius decompositum, laxum, quasi fimbriatum dependet.  Pedes robusti, breves, digito interno et externo æqualibus; unguibus mediocribus, validis.   O. fulgidus, Nob.   ...   Habitat: île Saint-Thomé, golfe de Guinée." (Hartlaub 1849); "Onychognathus Hartlaub, 1849, Rev. Mag. Zool. (Paris), p. 494. Type, by monotypy, Onychognathus fulgidus Hartlaub." (Amadon in Peters 1962, XV, 87).   
Var. Onychoramphus (Gr. ραμφος rhamphos  bill), Onychorhamphus, Onicognathus, Onycognathus, Onychognatus.   
Synon. Amydrus, Cinnamopterus, Galeopsar, Hagiopsar, Nabouroupus, Oligomydrus, Pilorhinus, Ptilonorhynchus, Pyrrhocheira.

tenuirostra / tenuirostre / tenuirostris
L. tenuis, tenue  slender; -rostris  -billed  < rostrum  beak.

SUBSPECIES

Slender-billed Starling (tenuirostris)
SCI Name: Onychognathus tenuirostris tenuirostris
tenuirostra / tenuirostre / tenuirostris
L. tenuis, tenue  slender; -rostris  -billed  < rostrum  beak.

Slender-billed Starling (theresae)
SCI Name: Onychognathus tenuirostris theresae
theresae
● Dr Theresa Rachel Clay (1911-1995) British parasitologist, authority on bird-lice, collector (syn. Alauda arvensis, syn. Anthus pratensis whistleri, syn. Bucanetes githaginea zedlitzi, syn. Coccothraustes coccothraustes buvryi, syn. Crithagra albogularis sordahlae, syn. Emberiza sahari, subsp. Galerida theklae, syn. Garrulus glandarius minor, subsp. Lanius excubitor, subsp. Melierax metabates, syn. Oenanthe moesta, subsp. Onychognathus tenuirostris, syn. Ptyonoprogne rupestris, Pyrgilauda, syn. Saxicola rubicola hibernans, syn. Scleroptila psilolaema elgonensis, subsp. Scotocerca saharae, syn. Spizocorys sclateri, syn. Sylvia nana, syn. Turdoides caudatus salvadorii, syn. Turdus viscivorus deichleri).
● Therese Charlotte Maria Anna Princess of Bavaria (1850–1925) German zoologist, anthropologist, explorer, daughter of Luitpold Prince-Regent of Bavaria (subsp. Hapalopsittaca amazonina).
● Probably after the Maria Theresa thaler or dollar, a silver-bullion coin much in demand in Africa and the Middle East (named after Maria Theresa Archduchess of Austria and Queen of Hungary (1717-1780; reigned 1740-1780)); "Scents and hair-oil were also very much sought after by the people of Bornu, a fact which, I think, revealed a trace of their Eastern origin. They did not care at all for beads, preferring the Maria Theresa dollar, which they beat and made into silver ornaments" (Alexander 1907) (Mark Brown and Martin Schneider in litt.)) (syn. Indicator maculatus stictithorax).
● Teresa Cristina Maria Princess of the Two Sicilies and Empress Consort of Brazil (1822-1889; reigned 1843-1889) renowned for her generosity, patience and support of Brazilian culture (Joek Roex in litt.) (subsp. Hylophylax naevius).
● Therese "Resi" Reiser née Höfner (1860-1953) wife of Austrian ornithologist Dr Otmar Reiser (Martin Schneider in litt.) (syn. Ramphastos vitellinus ariel).