Velvet-mantled Drongo

SCI Name:  Dicrurus modestus
Protonym:  Dicrurus modestus Rev.Mag.Zool.(2), 1 p.495
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Dicruridae / Dicrurus
Taxonomy Code:  vemdro6
Type Locality:  Principe Island.
Author:  Hartlaub
Publish Year:  1849
IUCN Status:  

DEFINITIONS

DICRURUS
(Dicruridae; † Balicassiao D. balicassius) Gr. δικρος dikros  forked; ουρα oura  tail; "125. DRONGO, Dicrurus.  Lanius, Corvus, Linn. Gm. Lath.  Bec couvert de soies à la base, robuste; mandibule supérieure un peu carénée en dessus, échancrée et crochue vers le bout; l'inférieure aiguë et retroussée à la pointe. — Queue fourchue. — Rectrices 10.   Esp. Balicasse. — Fingah. — Drongo, Buff.  ...  Dicrurus [δικρους, furcatus, ουρα, cauda]." (Vieillot 1816); "Dicrurus Vieillot, 1816 (April 14), Analyse, p. 41.  Type, by subsequent designation, ["Balicasse" of de Buffon =] Corvus balicassius Linnaeus (G. R. Gray, 1841, List Gen. Birds, ed. 2, p. 47)." (Vaurie in Peters, 1962, XV, p. 138).   
Var. Dicruratus (probably an involuntary lapsus or portmanteau of specific combination Dicrurus longicaudatus Hay, 1868), Dicrourus, Dicturus (OD per Martin Schneider).   
Synon. Balicassius, Bhringa, Bhuchanga, Bonaparteis, Chaptia, Chibia, Cometes, Criniger,  Dicrachibia, Dicranostreptus, Dicruropsis, Dissemuroides, Dissemuropsis, Dissemurulus, Dissemurus, Drongo, Drongus, Drymonax, Edolius, Edoliuta, Entomoletes, Melisseus, Musicus, Notochibia, Prepopterus, Trichometopus.
• (Dicruridae; syn. Dicrurus † Black Drongo D. macrocercus) "Dicrurus (Auct)  Bhuchanga." (Hodgson 1841); "Dicrurus Hodgson, 1841, Journal Asiatic Soc. Bengal, X (1), (no. 109), p. 29.  Classical replacement name for Bhuchanga Hodgson, a local substantive name considered inappropriate by some." (JAJ 2020) (see Alcopus).

modesta / modestum / modestus
L. modestus  plain, modest, unassuming  < modus  measure, standard.

SUBSPECIES

Velvet-mantled Drongo (Principe)
SCI Name: Dicrurus modestus modestus
modesta / modestum / modestus
L. modestus  plain, modest, unassuming  < modus  measure, standard.

Velvet-mantled Drongo (coracinus)
SCI Name: Dicrurus modestus coracinus
coracina / coracinus
L. coracinus  raven-black  < Gr. κορακινος korakinos  raven-black  < κοραξ korax, κορακος korakos  raven  < κρωζω krōzō  to croak.
● ex “Grivert de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 616 (syn. Saltator maximus).