Pomatorhinus Horsfieldii Bird

English Name:  Indian Scimitar-Babbler
Latin Name:  Pomatorhinus horsfieldii
Protonym:  Pomatorhinus Horsfieldii Proc.Zool.Soc.London Pt2 no.18 p.89
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Timaliidae / Pomatorhinus
Taxonomy Code:  insbab1
Type Locality:  the Deccan [= Mahabaleshwar, Satara North, fide Ali, 1953, Birds Travancore Cochin, p. 35].
Author:  Sykes
Publish Year:  1832
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

POMATORHINUS
(Timaliidae; Ϯ Chestnut-backed Scimitar-babbler P. montanus) Gr. πωμα pōma, πωματος pōmatos  lid, cover; ῥις rhis, ῥινος rhinos  nostrils; “Gen. 32.  POMATORHINUS.   Rostrum longiusculum, basi rectum, ultra nares modici incurvum et abruptius compressum, mesorhinio elevato: culmine validiusculo, carinato, apice integro.  Nares operculo corneo oblongo convexo clausæ, apertura oblique postice spectans, juxta capistrum fornicata.  Alæ rotundatæ. Remiges: 1 et 2 abrupte, 3 et 4 gradatim increscentes, 3-7 externe tenuiter emarginatæ.  Cauda rotundata, elongata.  Pedes subelongati. Digitus medius longior, cum exteriore basi leviter connexus. Ungues compressi, arcuati, posteriore majore, validiore.  Acropodia scutulata; acrotarsia obscurior.   The corneous covering of the nares and its sudden compression and equal breadth beyond these form the distinguishing character of this genus, in which it differs both from the two following genera [Prinia, Orthotomus], and from that extensive group which comprises Certhia, Nectarinia and Cinnyris. The prominent, rounded and very gradually attenuated back or culmen is also peculiar to this genus.   Spec. 1.  Pomatorhinus montanus.  ...  Bokkrek, Javanis.” (Horsfield 1821); "Pomatorhinus Horsfield, 1821, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, 13, p. 164. Type, by monotypy, Pomatorhinus montanus Horsfield." (Deignan in Peters 1964, X, 266).
Var. Pomathorinus, Pomathorhinus, Pomathorrhinus, Pomatorrhinus.
Synon. Xiphirhynchus, Xiphorhamphus.

pomatorhinus
Gr. πωμα pōma, πωματος pōmatos  lid, cover; ῥις rhis, ῥινος rhinos  nostrils.
● See: pomarinus

horsfieldi / horsfieldii
Dr Thomas Horsfield (1773-1859) US naturalist, explorer, collector in the East Indies 1796-1818 (subsp. Aethopyga nipalensis, syn. Chrysomma sinense, syn. Cincloramphus mathewsi, syn. Cuculus optatus, syn. Dryocopus javensis, syn. Eurylaimus javanicus, syn. Gallinago stenura, syn. Icthyophaga ichthyaetus, syn. Lophura lathami, syn. Microhierax fringillarius, subsp. Mirafra javanica, Myophonus, syn. Nisaetus cirrhatus limnaeetus, syn. Oriolus chinensis, Pomatorhinus, syn. Tringa nebularia, syn. Tringa stagnatilis, subsp. Zoothera aurea).

SUBSPECIES

Indian Scimitar-Babbler (obscurus)
Latin Name: Pomatorhinus horsfieldii obscurus
obscurum / obscurus
L. obscurus  dark, dusky.
● ex “Hook-billed Green Creeper” of Latham 1782 (Akialoa).
● ex “Dusky-crowned Humming-bird” of Latham 1782 (syn. Clytolaema rubricauda).
● ex “Dusky Tody” of Latham 1782, and Pennant 1785 (syn. Contopus virens).
● ex “Pic verd de l’isle de Luçon” of Sonnerat 1776 (syn. Dendropicos griseocephalus).
● ex “Dusky Falcon” of Pennant 1787 (syn. Falco columbarius).
● ex “Dusky Grosbeak” (= ☼) of Pennant, 1784 (syn. Hedymeles ludovicianus).
● ex “Obscure Fly-catcher” of Latham 1823 (syn. Hemipus hirundinaceus).
● "44. PSITTACUS.  ...  obscurus.  3. P. macrourus niger, genis nudis, vertice cinereo-nigrescente vario, cauda cinerea. Hasselq. iter. 236.  Habitat in Africa?" (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.: ?‡syn. Mascarinus mascarin).
● ex “White-rumped Woodpecker” of Latham 1782 (syn. Melanerpes erythrocephalus).
● ex “Tolocatzenatl” of Ray 1713, “Sturnus novae Hispaniae” of Brisson 1760, “Tolcana” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Brown-headed Stare” of Latham 1783 (subsp. Molothrus ater).
● ex “Dusky Rail” of Latham 1785 (syn. Pennula sandwichensis).
● ex “Dusky Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (Phaeornis).
● ex “Black and White Dobchick” of Edwards 1747, “Colymbus minor” of Brisson 1760, “Petit Grèbe” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 942, and “Dusky Grebe” of Pennant 1785, and of Latham 1785 (syn. Podiceps auritus cornutus).
● ex “Dusky Plover” of Latham 1781 (cf. Dusky Bay, New Zealand) (Pluviorhynchus).
● ex “Dusky Petrel” of Latham 1785 (syn. Puffinus assimilis).
● ex “Indian Raven” of Willughby 1676, and “Wreathed Hornbill” of Latham 1781 (syn. Rhyticeros plicatus).
● ex “Dark Thrush” of Latham 1783 (Turdus).
● "This specimen, like many from the Anthony collection, is badly soiled, a condition which may have led Anthony to name a dark race" (Browning 1979) (syn. Vireo huttoni).
● "44. PSITTACUS.   ...   obscurus.  3. P. macrourus niger, genis nudis, vertice cinereo-nigrescente vario, cauda cinerea. Hasselq. iter. 236.  Habitat in Africa ?" (Linnaeus 1758); "Linnæus identified his Psittacus obscurus with P. mascarinus, Briss.  ...  but the evidence is against this identification" (Salvadori 1891) (unident.; nom. dub.). 

Indian Scimitar-Babbler (horsfieldii)
Latin Name: Pomatorhinus horsfieldii horsfieldii
horsfieldi / horsfieldii
Dr Thomas Horsfield (1773-1859) US naturalist, explorer, collector in the East Indies 1796-1818 (subsp. Aethopyga nipalensis, syn. Chrysomma sinense, syn. Cincloramphus mathewsi, syn. Cuculus optatus, syn. Dryocopus javensis, syn. Eurylaimus javanicus, syn. Gallinago stenura, syn. Icthyophaga ichthyaetus, syn. Lophura lathami, syn. Microhierax fringillarius, subsp. Mirafra javanica, Myophonus, syn. Nisaetus cirrhatus limnaeetus, syn. Oriolus chinensis, Pomatorhinus, syn. Tringa nebularia, syn. Tringa stagnatilis, subsp. Zoothera aurea).

Indian Scimitar-Babbler (maderaspatensis)
Latin Name: Pomatorhinus horsfieldii maderaspatensis
maderaspatana / maderaspatanus / maderaspatensis
Mod. L. Maderaspatana Maderas / Madrass / Madras / Chennai, India.
● ex “Maderas Rail-Hen” of Ray 1713, “Porphyrio maderaspatanus” of Brisson 1760, “Angoli” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Madras Gallinule” of Latham 1785 (syn. Amaurornis phoenicurus).
● ex “Black and White Wagtail,” and “Forked Wagtail” of Ray 1713, “Motacilla maderaspatana” of Brisson 1760, “Bergeronnette de Madras” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Pied Wagtail” of Latham 1783 (Motacilla).
● ex “Partridge-Snipe” of Ray 1713, “Gallinago maderaspatana” of Brisson 1760, “Bécassine de Madras” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Madras Snipe” of Latham 1785 (syn. Rostratula benghalensis).
● Erroneous TL. Maderaspatana (= Madagascar); ex “Ficedula madagascariensis minor” of Brisson 1760 (Zosterops).

Indian Scimitar-Babbler (travancoreensis)
Latin Name: Pomatorhinus horsfieldii travancoreensis
travancoreensis / travancoriensis / travencoreensis
Travancore, a former kingdom and state (now in Kerala) of southern India.