Sri Lanka Scimitar-Babbler

SCI Name:  Pomatorhinus melanurus
Protonym:  P[omatorhinus]. melanurus J.Asiat.Soc.Bengal Vol. 16, N° 5 p. 451-452
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Timaliidae / Pomatorhinus
Taxonomy Code:  srlscb1
Type Locality:  Ceylon ; restricted to Urugaha, south of Kalutara, Western Province, by Whistler, 1942, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, 62, p. 52.
Author:  Blyth
Publish Year:  1847
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

POMATORHINUS
(Timaliidae; Ϯ Chestnut-backed Scimitar-babbler P. montanus) Gr. πωμα pōma, πωματος pōmatos  lid, cover; ῥις rhis, ῥινος rhinos  nostrils; “Gen. 32.  POMATORHINUS.   Rostrum longiusculum, basi rectum, ultra nares modici incurvum et abruptius compressum, mesorhinio elevato: culmine validiusculo, carinato, apice integro.  Nares operculo corneo oblongo convexo clausæ, apertura oblique postice spectans, juxta capistrum fornicata.  Alæ rotundatæ. Remiges: 1 et 2 abrupte, 3 et 4 gradatim increscentes, 3-7 externe tenuiter emarginatæ.  Cauda rotundata, elongata.  Pedes subelongati. Digitus medius longior, cum exteriore basi leviter connexus. Ungues compressi, arcuati, posteriore majore, validiore.  Acropodia scutulata; acrotarsia obscurior.   The corneous covering of the nares and its sudden compression and equal breadth beyond these form the distinguishing character of this genus, in which it differs both from the two following genera [Prinia, Orthotomus], and from that extensive group which comprises Certhia, Nectarinia and Cinnyris. The prominent, rounded and very gradually attenuated back or culmen is also peculiar to this genus.   Spec. 1.  Pomatorhinus montanus.  ...  Bokkrek, Javanis.” (Horsfield 1821); "Pomatorhinus Horsfield, 1821, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, 13, p. 164. Type, by monotypy, Pomatorhinus montanus Horsfield." (Deignan in Peters 1964, X, 266).
Var. Pomathorinus, Pomathorhinus, Pomathorrhinus, Pomatorrhinus.
Synon. Xiphirhynchus, Xiphorhamphus.

pomatorhinus
Gr. πωμα pōma, πωματος pōmatos  lid, cover; ῥις rhis, ῥινος rhinos  nostrils.
● See: pomarinus

melanurum / melanurus
Gr. μελανουρος melanouros  with a black tail  < μελας melas, μελανος melanos  black; -ουρος -ouros  -tailed  < ουρα oura  tail.
● ex “Mbatuitui zancúdo” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 393 (subsp. Himantopus himantopus).
● ex “Black-tailed Parrakeet” (= ♂) of Lear 1831 (syn. Polytelis anthopeplus).