White-winged Widowbird

SCI Name:  Euplectes albonotatus
Protonym:  Vidua albonotata Proc.Acad.Nat.Sci.Philadelphia 4 p.65
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Ploceidae / Euplectes
Taxonomy Code:  whwwid1
Type Locality:  Port Natal [= Durban].
Author:  Cassin
Publish Year:  1848
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

EUPLECTES
(Ploceidae; Ϯ Southern Red Bishop E. orix) Gr. ευ eu  fine, good; Mod. L. plectes  weaver  < Gr. πλεκω plekō  to plait; "DIVISIONS OR SUB-GENERA.  MALIMBUS. Vieil.  ...  PLOCEUS. Cuv.  ...  EUPLECTES. Nob.  Bill of Ploceus. Toes and claws very slender. The greater quills scarcely longer than the lesser; spurious quill very minute.  Type, Loxia Orix. L.  ...  The Weaving Birds, confined to the hotter regions of the old world, are chiefly found in Africa, where they represent the Hangnests (Icterinæ) of America: an analogy long since remarked by Buffon. Both these tribes astonish us by the consummate skill with which they fabricate their nests: but the intelligence displayed by the African Weavers is still more wonderful." (Swainson 1829); "Euplectes Swainson, Zool. Illustr. 2nd ser. i, text to pl. 37, 1929 [sic = 1829].  Type by original designation, Loxia orix Linn." (W. Sclater, 1930, Syst. Av. Aethiop., II, p. 759).
Var. Eupodes.
Synon. Boetticherella, Chera, Coliuspasser, Coliostruthus, Diatropura, Drepanoplectes, Groteiplectes, Hyperanthus, Niobe, Niobella, Oryx, Paraplectes, Penthetria, Penthetriopsis, Phlogoplectes, Pyromelana, Tachyplectes, Taha, Urobrachya, Xanthomelana.

albonotata / albonotatus
L. albus  white; notatus  marked  < notare  to mark  < nota  mark  < noscere  to know.

SUBSPECIES

White-winged Widowbird (eques)
SCI Name: Euplectes albonotatus eques
eques
L. eques, equitis  cavalryman (e.g. with epaulets)  < equus  horse (cf. aeque  alike, equally  < aequus  like, equal).
● ex “Gobe-mouche à poitrine orangée de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 831, fig. 1, and “Gobe-mouche à poitrine orangée de Guyane” of de Buffon 1770-1786 (?syn. Pachyramphus sp.).
● ex “Figuier cendré de la Caroline” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 731, fig. 1, and “Figuier cendré à collier” of de Buffon 1770-1785 (syn. Parula americana).
● ex “Psittaca Borbonica torquata” of Brisson 1760, “Perruche à collier de l’Île de Bourbon” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 215, “Perruche à double collier” of de Buffon 1770-1785, and “Double-ringed Parrakeet” of Latham 1781 (‡Psittacula).

White-winged Widowbird (asymmetrurus)
SCI Name: Euplectes albonotatus asymmetrurus
asymmetrura / asymmetrurus
Gr. ασυμμετρια asummetria  disproportionate  < negative prefix α- a- ; συμμετρια summetria  proportion, symmetry; -ουρος -ouros  -tailed  < ουρα oura  tail.

White-winged Widowbird (albonotatus)
SCI Name: Euplectes albonotatus albonotatus
albonotata / albonotatus
L. albus  white; notatus  marked  < notare  to mark  < nota  mark  < noscere  to know.