Western Fieldwren

SCI Name:  Calamanthus montanellus
Protonym:  Calamanthus montanellus Emu 2 pt4 p.200
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Acanthizidae / Calamanthus
Taxonomy Code:  ruffie3
Type Locality:  Stirling Range, southwestern Australia.
Author:  Milligan
Publish Year:  1903
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

CALAMANTHUS
(Acanthizidae; Ϯ Striated Fieldwren C. fuliginosus) Gr. καλαμαια kalamaia   grasshopper; genus Anthus Bechstein, 1805, pipit; "It carries its tail erect, like the Maluri, but differs from the members of that group in moving that organ in a lateral direction whenever it perches, and at the termination of a succession of hops on the ground, over which it passes with great celerity, depending at all times for safety more on this power than on that of flight" (Gould 1865); "Genus CALAMANTHUS.  GEN. CHAR.  Bill shorter than the head, dilated at the base, compressed laterally towards the tip; culmen sharp and advancing upon the forehead; nostrils lateral, large, oval, and covered by an operculum; rictus destitute of bristles; wings short, round, the fourth quill the longest, the third, fifth, sixth, and seventh equal; tail rather short and round; tarsi moderately long, defended anteriorly with indistinct scales; hind toe rather long, with a long claw; lateral toes uneven, the outer one the shortest.  Type. Anthus fuliginosus, Vig. and Horsf." (Gould 1838); "Calamanthus Gould, 1838, Synop. Birds Australia, pt. 4, app., p. 4. New name for Praticola Swainson, 1837, preoccupied by Praticola Kaup, 1829." (Mayr in Peters 1986, XI, 427) (Praticola Kaup, 1829, is an incorrect subsequent spelling of Pratincola Koch, 1816 (see Pratincola)).  
Var. Calantanthus, Calamoanthus.
Synon. Eremianthus, Praticola.

montanella / montanellus
Mod. L. montanellus  little mountaineer  < dim. L. montanus  mountain-, belonging to a mountain  < mons, montis  mountain.