Indicator Maculatus Bird

English Name:  Spotted Honeyguide
Latin Name:  Indicator maculatus
Protonym:  Indicator maculatus Gen.Birds 2 p.451 pl.CXIII
Taxonomy:  Piciformes / Indicatoridae / Indicator
Taxonomy Code:  spohon2
Type Locality:  No locality ; the type in the British Museum is from Gambia.
Author:  Gray, GR
Publish Year:  1847
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

INDICATOR
(Indicatoridae; Ϯ Greater Honeyguide I. indicator) L. indicator, indicatoris  guide, one that points out  < indicare  to show  < index, indicis  sign, informer  < in  among; dicere  to tell (cf. specific name Cuculus indicator Sparrman, 1777); "The Dutch settlers thereabouts have given this bird the name of Honiguyzer, or Honey-guide, from its quality of discovering wild honey to travellers  ...  Not only the Dutch and Hottentots, but likewise a species of quadruped named Ratel (probably a new species of Badger), are frequently conducted to wild bee-hives by this bird, which, as it were, pilots them to the very spot. The honey being its favourite food, its own interest prompts it to be instrumental in robbing the hive, as some scraps are commonly left for its support" (Sparrman in Stephens 1815);  "INDICATOR. HONEY-GUIDE ...  THE Honey-guides form a very peculiar genus ...  the feathers are short, hard, and pressed close to the body: the skin is thick, and the fibres so close that it is difficult to pierce it even with a pin, an admirable provision of nature to guard these birds against the stings of bees, as it forms an almost impenetrable coat of mail. Sparrman first described the Honey-guide, which he placed in the genus Cuculus, to which it is only related in having the toes placed two and two.   ...   SPARRMAN'S HONEY-GUIDE. (Indicator Sparrmanii.)   ...   GREAT HONEY-GUIDE. (Indicator major.)   ...   LITTLE HONEY-GUIDE. (Indicator minor.)" (Stephens 1815); "Indicator Stephens, in Shaw's Gen. Zool., 9, pt. 1, 1815, p. 131. Type, by tautonymy, Indicator Sparrmanii Stephens = Cuculus indicator Sparrman." (Peters 1948, VI, 65).  The Greater Honeyguide is well known for leading mammals (especially the Ratel and man) to bees’ nests, enabling the stronger mammal to break open the nests and benefit from the honey, whilst the honeyguide eats the grubs, bees, and wax. Local superstition demands that some token honey is left for the honeyguide, otherwise it will next lead the searcher to stumble upon a hidden leopard or venomous snake.
Synon. Melignostes, Melignothes, Meliphagus, Melipodagus, Morocus, Prodotes, Pseudofringilla, Pseudospiza.

indicator
L. indicator, indicatoris  guide, one that points out  < indicare  to show  < index, indicis  sign, informer  < in  among; dicere  to tell.
● “Greenish above, greyish below, which with white tail make it look like large honeyguide” (Keith et al. (ed.) 1992) (Baeopogon).

maculatum / maculatus
L. maculatus spotted, blotched < maculare to make spotted < macula spot.
● ex “Colibri à gorge verte de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 671, fig. 1, “Colibri à cravate verte” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Green-throated Humming-bird” of Latham 1782 (syn. Anthracothorax viridigula).
● ex “Tachard” of Levaillant 1798, pl. 19 (syn. Buteo oreophilus, syn. Buteo trizonatus, syn. Pernis apivorus).
● ex “Spotted Curucui” of Brown 1776, and Latham 1782 (Chalcites).
● ex “Patch-necked Humming-bird” of Latham 1787 (syn. Chrysolampis mosquitus).
● ex “Petit pic d’Antigue” of Sonnerat 1776 (Dendrocopos).
● ex “Coucou tacheté de la Chine” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 764 (syn. Eudynamys scolopaceus).
● ex “Merle à gorge noire de St. Domingue” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 559 (?syn. Icterus cucullatus).
● ex “Hirondelle tachetée de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 546, fig. 1 (?Iridoprocne albiventer).
● ex “Botaurus naevius” of Brisson 1760, “Schwarzer Reiger” of Frisch et al. 1763, “Butor tacheté” or “Pouacre” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Spotted Heron” of Latham 1785 (syn. Ixobrychus minutus).
● ex “Fou tacheté de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 986 (= ☼), “Fou tacheté” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Spotted Booby of Latham 1785 (syn. Morus bassanus).
● ex “Gobe-mouche tacheté de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 453, fig. 2 (Myiodynastes).
● ex “Matuiti” of Willughby 1676, Ray 1713, and de Buffon 1770-1783, “Ispida Brasiliensis naevia” of Brisson 1760, and “Brasilian Spotted Kingsfisher” of Latham 1782 (Nystalus).
● ex “Râle tacheté de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 775 (Pardirallus).
● ex “Ñacurutú chorreado” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 44 (syn. Rhinoptynx clamator midas).
● ex “Spotted Red-shank” of Pennant 1761 (syn. Tringa erythropus).

SUBSPECIES

Spotted Honeyguide (maculatus)
Latin Name: Indicator maculatus maculatus
maculatum / maculatus
L. maculatus spotted, blotched < maculare to make spotted < macula spot.
● ex “Colibri à gorge verte de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 671, fig. 1, “Colibri à cravate verte” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Green-throated Humming-bird” of Latham 1782 (syn. Anthracothorax viridigula).
● ex “Tachard” of Levaillant 1798, pl. 19 (syn. Buteo oreophilus, syn. Buteo trizonatus, syn. Pernis apivorus).
● ex “Spotted Curucui” of Brown 1776, and Latham 1782 (Chalcites).
● ex “Patch-necked Humming-bird” of Latham 1787 (syn. Chrysolampis mosquitus).
● ex “Petit pic d’Antigue” of Sonnerat 1776 (Dendrocopos).
● ex “Coucou tacheté de la Chine” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 764 (syn. Eudynamys scolopaceus).
● ex “Merle à gorge noire de St. Domingue” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 559 (?syn. Icterus cucullatus).
● ex “Hirondelle tachetée de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 546, fig. 1 (?Iridoprocne albiventer).
● ex “Botaurus naevius” of Brisson 1760, “Schwarzer Reiger” of Frisch et al. 1763, “Butor tacheté” or “Pouacre” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Spotted Heron” of Latham 1785 (syn. Ixobrychus minutus).
● ex “Fou tacheté de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 986 (= ☼), “Fou tacheté” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Spotted Booby of Latham 1785 (syn. Morus bassanus).
● ex “Gobe-mouche tacheté de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 453, fig. 2 (Myiodynastes).
● ex “Matuiti” of Willughby 1676, Ray 1713, and de Buffon 1770-1783, “Ispida Brasiliensis naevia” of Brisson 1760, and “Brasilian Spotted Kingsfisher” of Latham 1782 (Nystalus).
● ex “Râle tacheté de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 775 (Pardirallus).
● ex “Ñacurutú chorreado” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 44 (syn. Rhinoptynx clamator midas).
● ex “Spotted Red-shank” of Pennant 1761 (syn. Tringa erythropus).

Spotted Honeyguide (stictithorax)
Latin Name: Indicator maculatus stictithorax
stictithorax
Gr. στικτος stiktos  spotted, dappled  < στιζω stizō  to tattoo; θωραξ thōrax, θωρακος thōrakos  breastplate.