Vanellus Melanocephalus Bird

English Name:  Spot-breasted Lapwing
Latin Name:  Vanellus melanocephalus
Protonym:  Lobivanellus melanocephalus Systemat.Uebers.Vog.N.-O.-Afr. p.115 pl.44
Taxonomy:  Charadriiformes / Charadriidae / Vanellus
Taxonomy Code:  spblap1
Type Locality:  Mountains of Simien, Ethiopia.
Author:  Rüppell
Publish Year:  1845
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

VANELLUS
(Charadriidae; Ϯ Northern Lapwing V. vanellus) Med. L. vanellus  lapwing  < dim. L. vannus  winnowing fan (in allusion to the broad wings and floppy flight); "Vanellus. Genus 71.  ...  **1. LE VANNEAU.  ... VANELLUS." (Brisson 1760): based on "Vanellus", "Capella", and "Caprea" of Gessner 1555, and many other authors, and Tringa Vanellus Linnaeus, 1758; "Vanellus Brisson, Orn., 1760, 1, p. 48; 5, p. 94. Type, by tautonymy, Vanellus Brisson = Tringa vanellus Linné." (Peters 1934, II, 235).  The Northern Lapwing appears the most aberrant member of the genus; it has been suggested that Hoplopterus be resurrected for all the other species presently included in Vanellus.   
Var. Canellus, Cranellus.   
Synon. Acanthopteryx, Acanthropterus, Afribyx, Afrovanellus, Anitibyx, Anomalophrys, Belonopterus, Chettusia, Defilippia, Dilobus, Dorypaltus, Euhyas, Eurypterus, Gavia, Hemiparra, Hoplopterus, Limnetes, Lobibyx, Lobipluvia, Lobivanellus, Microsarcops, Nonnusia, Ptiloscelys, Rogibyx, Sarciophorus, Sarcogrammus, Stephanibyx, Titihoia, Tringa, Tylibyx, Vanellochettusia, Viator, Xiphidiopterus, Zapterus, Zonifer.

vanellus
Med. L. vanellus lapwing < dim. L. vannus winnowing fan; "78. TRINGA.  ...  Vanellus.  2. T. pedibus rubris, crista dependente, pectore nigro. Fn. svec. 148.  Capella s. Vanellus. Bell. av. 49. a. Gesn. av. 764. Aldr. orn. l. 20. c. 63. Will. orn. 228. t. 57. Jonst. av. 164. t. 53. 27. Raj. av. 110. Alb. av. I. p. 70. t. 74.  Habitat in Europa, Africa.  Migrat forte in Ægyptum. Ova Belgis in deliciis.” (Linnaeus 1758) (Vanellus).

melanocephala / melanocephalon / melanocephalos / melanocephalum / melanocephalus
Gr. μελας melas, μελανος melanos  black; -κεφαλος -kephalos  -headed  < κεφαλη kephalē  head.
● ex “Black-headed Shrike” of Latham 1783 (syn. Brachypodius atriceps).
● ex “Pato cabeza negra” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 438 (syn. Heteronetta atricapilla).
● ex “Manakin à tête noire de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 303, fig. 1 (syn. Manacus manacus).
● "44. PSITTACUS.  ...  melanocephalus.  33. P. brachiurus viridis subtus luteus, pileo nigro, pectore albo. Mus. Ad. Fr. 2. p.  Psittacus coccineus, ventre albo. Edw. av. 169. t. 169.  Habitat in Mexico." (Linnaeus 1758) (Pionites).
● "96. LOXIA.  ...  melanocephala.  26. L. lutea, capite atro.  Coccothraustes gambogia. Alb. av. 3. p. 58. t. 62.  Habitat in Gvinea." (Linnaeus 1758) (Ploceus).
● ex “Pluvian du Sénégal” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 918, and de Buffon 1770-1786, and “Black-headed Plover” of Latham 1785 (syn. Pluvianus aegyptius).
● ex “Black-headed Ibis” of Latham 1787, and “Tantalus de Macé” of Cuvier 1804 (Threskiornis).
● ex “Black-headed Roller” of Latham 1787 (syn. Urocissa erythrorhyncha).
● ex “Pie Bleue à Tête Noire” of Levaillant 1800, pl. 58 (unident.; ?syn. Urocissa sp.).