Yellow Thornbill

SCI Name:  Acanthiza nana
Protonym:  Acanthiza nana Trans.Linn.Soc.London(1), 15(1826) p.226
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Acanthizidae / Acanthiza
Taxonomy Code:  yeltho1
Type Locality:  Sydney, New South Wales.
Author:  Vigors & Horsfield
Publish Year:  1827
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

ACANTHIZA
(Acanthizidae; Ϯ Brown Thornbill A. pusilla) Gr. ακανθεων akantheōn  thorn-brake  < ακανθα akantha  thorn  < ακη akē  point; ζαω zaō  to inhabit, to live  < ζω zō  to live; "Genus ACANTHIZA *.  Rostrum gracile, breve, rectum, basi subdepressum, apice compressum, culmine apicem versus leviter arcuato; mandibula superiori subemarginata; naribus linearibus, longitudinalibus, supra membrana tectis, setis plumulisque partim opertis; rictu setis parce instructo.  Alæ subbreves, rotundatæ; remige prima brevi, secunda et tertia gradatim longioribus, quarta longissima, secunda et decima æqualibus.  Pedes graciles, acrotarsiis paratarsiisque integris.  Cauda mediocris, apice subrotundata.   This group is closely connected with that of Malurus. The construction of the wings and legs is the same, and their habits, as far as we can learn, are similar. But the soft, lengthened, and graduated tail, which gives a striking character to the typical species of Malurus, is wanting in the present group, in which the tail is short and rounded.   ...   As in all similar cases of groups thus approximating to each other, we fix our attention on the typical species chiefly of each, which in the present instance may be considered to be Malurus Lamberti and Acanthiza pusilla.   ...   Like the Reguli they appear to be the inhabitants of bushes and low scrubs.   1. NANA.   ...   2. REGULOIDES.   ...   3. FRONTALIS.   ...   4. PYRRHOPYGIA.   ...   5. PUSILLA.   ...   6. BUCHANANI.   ...   *Aκανθεων dumetum, and ζαω vivo." (Vigors & Horsfield 1827).  
Var. Ancathiza, Acanthisa.
Synon. Geobasileus, Milligania, Subacanthiza.

nana
L. nanus  dwarf  < Gr. νανος nanos  dwarf.
● ex “Petit Marteau” of Sganzin 1840 (Lepidopygia).

SUBSPECIES

Yellow Thornbill (flava)
SCI Name: Acanthiza nana flava
flava
L. flavus  golden-yellow, gold-coloured, yellow.
● ex “Echenilleur Jaune” (= ♀) of Levaillant 1805, pl. 164 (Campephaga).
● "99. MOTACILLA.  ...  flava.  13. M. pectore abdomineque flavo, rectricibus duabus lateralibus dimidiato oblique albis. Fn. svec. 215.  Motacilla flava. Gesn. av. 618. Aldr. orn. l. 17. c. 24. Will. orn. 172. t. 68. Raj. av. 75. n. 2. Alb. av. 2. p. 54. t. 58. Frisch. av. . t. 23. f. 3.  Habitat in Europa." (Linnaeus 1758) (Motacilla).
● ex “Habia amarilla” (= ♀) of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 87 (Piranga).
● ex “Bruant du Brésil” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 321, fig. 1, and “Chúy” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 133 (syn. Sicalis flaveola pelzelni).
● ex “Guira-perea” of Marcgrave 1648, “Guiraperea” of Willughby 1676, and Ray 1713, “Tangara jaune du Brésil” of Brisson 1760, and “Yellow Tanager” of Latham 1783 (Tangara).

Yellow Thornbill (nana)
SCI Name: Acanthiza nana nana
nana
L. nanus  dwarf  < Gr. νανος nanos  dwarf.
● ex “Petit Marteau” of Sganzin 1840 (Lepidopygia).

Yellow Thornbill (modesta)
SCI Name: Acanthiza nana modesta
modesta / modestum / modestus
L. modestus  plain, modest, unassuming  < modus  measure, standard.