Western Plantain-eater

SCI Name:  Crinifer piscator
Protonym:  Crinifer africanus obscuratus TablePlanchesEnlum. p.28
Taxonomy:  Musophagiformes / Musophagidae / Crinifer
Taxonomy Code:  wesple1
Type Locality:  Bosun, eastern Cameroon.
Author:  Boddaert
Publish Year:  1783
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

CRINIFER
(Musophagidae; Ϯ Western Grey Plantain-eater C. piscator) L. crinifer (probably a misreading for criniger)  long-haired  < crinis  hair; -fer  bearing  < ferre  to carry; "Lacking any green in their grey and white, streaked or spotted plumage, the two species belonging to this genus are differentiated from other turacos by the crest of narrow, lanceolate feathers projecting backward from the hindcrown and nape" (Forshaw & Cooper 2002); "RODZÀY II. (109.)  GRZYWIÀK.  CRINIFER.  Crinifère. Fran.  ...  n. p. Phasianus africanus. LATH.  W tym rodzaiu známy tylko jeden gatunek, który mieszká w Afryce. Zostáł on niedawno odkryty; a już kilku doznáł przenosin w systematach. U jednych czytámy opis jego w rodzaiu Phasianus (jak wyżéy); u drugich w rodzaiu Columba (Colum. cristata var. β. GL); jnni nakoniec wcielili go do rodzaiu Corythaix.  ...  Obyczaie i sposób žyciá Grzywiàka są nám jescze nie znaiome." (Jarocki 1821); "Crinifer Jarocki, Zoologiia, 2, 1821, p. 181. Type, by monotypy, Phasianus africanus Latham.   ...   Crinifer africanus africanus (Latham¹)  ...  ¹ Mathews and Iredale (Austr. Av. Rec., 3, 1915, p. 44) argue that Falco piscator Boddaert (Table Pl. enlum., 1783, p. 28) based on "Le Tanas, ou Faucon pêcheur, du Senegal" of Daubenton, pl. 478 is an earlier name for this species.  To recognize Daubenton's plate as representing Phasianus africanus Latham requires more imagination than I am capable of using." (Peters, 1940, IV, pp. 9, 10). 
Synon. Ichthierax.

piscator
L. piscator, piscatoris  fisherman  < piscari  to fish  < piscis  fish.
● ex “Tanas” or “Faucon pêcheur du Sénégal” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 478. D’Aubenton’s plate is of an unidentifiable “raptor”, albeit with a large yellow bill, perhaps the African Fish Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer but listed as the Barbary Falcon Falco pelegrinoides by Schmitt & Crémière 2009 (who have doubtless confused this with Levaillant’s 1798 plate 28 (below)). Those with a vivid imagination could associate this bird with the Western Grey Plantain-eater (Crinifer) (see Crinifer and Ichthierax).
● ex “Faucon Huppé” of Levaillant 1798, pl. 28 (unident.: ?syn. Falco peregrinus minor).
● ex “Fou brun” of Brisson 1760 (?syn. Sula leucogaster).
● "66. PELECANUS.  ...  Piscator.  5. P. cauda cuneiformi, rostro serrato, remigibus omnibus nigris. Chin. Lagerstr. 8. Osb. iter. 85.  Anaethetus major melinus subtus albidus, rostro serrato dentato. Brown. jam. 481.  Anseri bassano affinis. Catesb. car. 1. p. 87. t. 87. Sloan. jam. 2. p. 322. t. 271. f. 2. Raj. av. 191.  Habitat in India utraque, Europa.  Alter sexus albus remigibus nigris, alter niger abdomine canescente. Osbeck.  Mandibula superior versus basin margine quasi dente utrinque mutilata. Nares clausæ. Remiges in albo primores nigræ; secundariæ albæ, sed apicibus extrorsum nigræ." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.; ?syn. Sula sula).