Taiwan Cupwing

SCI Name:  Pnoepyga formosana
Protonym:  Pnoëpyga formosana Bull.Br.Orn.Club 23 p. 97
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Pnoepygidae / Pnoepyga
Taxonomy Code:  taiwrb1
Type Locality:  Arisan, central Formosa.
Author:  Ingram
Publish Year:  1909
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

PNOEPYGA
(Pnoepygidae; † Scaly-breasted Cupwing P. albiventer) Gr. πνοη pnoē  blowing  < πνεω pneō  to breathe; πυγη pugē rump; "Pnoepyga (Tesia) concolor, [drawing no.] 847.    P. pusillus, [drawing no.] 870.  P. rufiventer, [drawing no.] 457.  P. albiventer, [drawing no.] 491." (Hodgson 1844); “Genus Pnoepyga (olim Tesia), mihi.  ...  wings very short, bowed, and perfectly rounded; tail rudimentary, consisting of only six plumes, which are hid by the puffy rump-feathers.  ...  Types, the following: — 1st species, albiventer (M. squamata, Gould, postea), mihi.” (Hodgson 1845); "Pnoepyga Hodgson, 1844, in J. E. Gray, Zool. Misc., no. 3, p. 82. Type, by subsequent designation (Zimmer and Vaurie, 1954, Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl., 74, p. 41), Tesia albiventer Hodgson." (Deignan in Peters, 1964, X, p. 293).  The birds of this genus were formerly known as Wren Babblers.  Cupwing is an innovative modern creation which does not scan well; I suggest the substantive Dwarf-babbler.
Var. Proepygia (Gr. προε- proe-  before), Pneopyga, Propyga.
Synon. Microura.

formosae / formosana / formosanus
Formosa (= Taiwan).