Euplectes Aureus Bird

English Name:  Golden-backed Bishop
Latin Name:  Euplectes aureus
Protonym:  Loxia aurea Syst.Nat. 1 pt2 p.846
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Ploceidae / Euplectes
Taxonomy Code:  gobbis1
Type Locality:  Benguela (ex Brown, 1776, Nouv. Illustr. Zool., pi. 25).
Author:  Gmelin, JF
Publish Year:  1789
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.

aureus
L. aureus  golden  < aurum  gold.
● ex “Golden-backed Finch” of Brown 1776, and “Gold-backed Grosbeak” of Latham 1783 (Euplectes).
● ex “Vultur aureus” and “Vultur Bæticus” of Ray 1713, “Vautour doré” of Brisson 1760, and “Vultur aureus” of S. Gmelin, 1774-1784 (subsp. Gypaetus barbatus).
● ex “Coq-de-Roche” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 39, Pipra rupicola J. Gmelin, 1789, and “Rock Manakin” of Latham 1802 (syn. Rupicola rupicola).
● "49. CORACIAS.  ...  aurea.  5. C. flavo-fulva, gula tectricibus primariis extremitateque rectricum nigris.  Paradisea flavo-fulva. Mus. Ad. Fr. I. p. 15.  Paradisea aurea. Edw. Av. 112. t. 112.  Habitat in Asia." (Linnaeus 1758) (Sericulus).