Swallow-winged Puffbird

SCI Name:  Chelidoptera tenebrosa
Protonym:  Cuculus tenebrosus NeueNordischeBeytrage 3 p.2 pl.1 fig.1
Taxonomy:  Galbuliformes / Bucconidae / Chelidoptera
Taxonomy Code:  swwpuf1
Type Locality:  Surinam.
Author:  Pallas
Publish Year:  1782
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

CHELIDOPTERA
(Bucconidae; Ϯ Swallow-wing Puffbird C. tenebrosa) Gr. χελιδων khelidōn, χελιδονος khelidonos  swallow; πτερον pteron  wing; "Chelidoptera, Gould, 1 ; the latter being a generic title provisionally instituted by Mr. Gould for the Lypornix tenebrosa, Wagl., a species which differs in many essential characters from all the other members of the group, possessing as it does a very lengthened wing, and being in every way adapted for powerful flight. He observed, that he had consulted with M. Natterer on the propriety of separating this bird from the other members of the group, in which opinion that eminent naturalist had coincided, and at the same time stated, that it usually resorted to the topmost branches of the trees, whence it sallied forth over the forest in search after its insect food, while, on the other hand, all the other members of the group kept to low thickets and the neighbourhood of the ground. In their general economy they offer a striking resemblance to the Shrikes and Flycatchers; they are, however, more indolent in their disposition, and sit motionless on a dead branch for hours together, until their attention is drawn to some passing insect, when they sally forth, capture it, and return to the same branch, which they are known to frequent for months together." (Gould 1837); "Chelidoptera Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, pt. 4, 1836 (1837), p. 81. Type, by monotypy, Lypornix tenebrosa Wagler = Cuculus tenebrosus Pallas." (Peters, 1948, VI, p. 23).
Var. Chelonidera.
Synon. Barbacus, Brachypetes.

tenebrosa / tenebrosus
L. tenebrosus  dark, gloomy  < tenebrae  darkness.
● ex “Petit Coucou noir de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 505 (Chelidoptera).

SUBSPECIES

Swallow-winged Puffbird (tenebrosa)
SCI Name: Chelidoptera tenebrosa tenebrosa
tenebrosa / tenebrosus
L. tenebrosus  dark, gloomy  < tenebrae  darkness.
● ex “Petit Coucou noir de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 505 (Chelidoptera).

Swallow-winged Puffbird (brasiliensis)
SCI Name: Chelidoptera tenebrosa brasiliensis
brasiliana / brasilianum / brasilianus / brasiliense / brasiliensis
Mod. L. Brasilianus or Brasiliensis  Brazilian, from Brazil. ‘Brasil’ was the name given to a dyewood long imported from the East. Pedro Cabral’s expedition in 1500 discovered a strange new tree of similar hue and gave it the same name, brasil or brazil, the name soon attaching itself to the country (e.g. Terra do Brasil,1530).
● "44. PSITTACUS.  ...  brasiliensis.  30. P. brachyurus viridis, facie rubra, temporibus cæruleis.  Psittacus viridis brasiliensis. Edw. av. 161. t. 161.  Habitat in Brasilia.  Avis viridis flavo contaminata. Rubrum infra flexuram alæ & in exteriore latere rectricum 2. 2; cæruleum in latere exteriore remigum rectricumque primorum." (Linnaeus 1758) (Amazona). This name is the sixth toponym in avian nomenclature.
● ex “Mareca alia species” of Marcgrave 1648, “Anas brasiliensis” of Brisson 1760, “Maréca” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mareca Duck” of Latham 1785 (Amazonetta).
● Erroneous TL. Brazil (= Cayenne) (syn. Attila spadiceus).
● ex “Tette-chèvre tacheté du Brésil” of Brisson 1760, and “Ibijau” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (syn. Chordeiles acutipennis).
● ex “Caracara” of Marcgrave 1648 (syn. Circus buffoni).
● ex “Yellow-bellied Thrush” of Latham 1783 (syn. Donacobius atricapilla).
● ex “Noctua Brasiliensibus Cabure dicta” of Ray 1713, “Asio Brasiliensis” of Brisson 1760, “Caburé” or “Caboure” of Willughby 1767, “Hibou du Brésil” of Brisson 1760, and “Brasilian Eared Owl” of Latham 1781 (Glaucidium).
● ex “Pica brasiliensis” of Seba 1734-1765 (unidentifiable), “Apiaster brasiliensis” of Brisson 1760, “Merops rouge et bleu” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Brasilian Bee-eater” of Latham 1782 (?syn. Haematoderus militaris; ?syn. Merops nubicus (per Cabanis & Heine, 1860, Mus. Heineanum, II, p. 141)).
● ex “Jacana alia species” (= ☼) of Marcgrave 1648, “Aguapecaca” of Willughby 1676 and Ray 1713, “Jacana armata” of Brisson 1760, “Jacana-péca” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Brasilian Jacana” of Latham 1785 (syn. Jacana jacana).
● Erroneous TL. Brazil (= Java); ex “Grimpereau violet du Brésil” of Brisson 1760, “Guit-guit noir et violet” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Black and Violet Creeper” of Latham 1782 (Leptocoma).
● “Vieillot himself gave up the name M. octosetaceus as misleading, the bird having many more than eight feathers on the occiput” (Salvadori 1895) (syn. Mergus octosetaceus).
● ex “Majaque” of Willughby 1676, and Ray 1713 (ex “Maiague” of Piso 1658), “Puffinus brasiliensis” of Brisson 1760, “Puffin de Brésil” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Brasilian Petrel” of Latham 1785 (Phalacrocorax).
● ex “Guiranheemgatu” of Marcgrave 1648 (subsp. Sicalis flaveola).
● ex “Tangara bleu du Brésil” of Brisson 1760 (Tangara).
● ex “Héron du Brésil” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Tigrisoma lineatum).
● Brazil and Cayenne; ex “Magoua” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (syn. Tinamus major).
●?Erroneous TL. Brazil (= Jamaica); ex “Small yellow and brown Bird” of Sloane 1725, “Icterus brasiliensis” of Brisson 1760, and “Brasilian Oriole” of Latham 1782 (unident.)

Swallow-winged Puffbird (pallida)
SCI Name: Chelidoptera tenebrosa pallida
pallida
L. pallidus  pallid, pale, wan, sallow  < pallere  to be pale.