Ramphomicron Microrhynchum Bird

English Name:  Purple-backed Thornbill
Latin Name:  Ramphomicron microrhynchum
Protonym:  Ornismya microrhyncha Rev.Zool. 2(1839) p.354
Taxonomy:  Caprimulgiformes / Trochilidae / Ramphomicron
Taxonomy Code:  pubtho1
Type Locality:  Bogota, Colombia.
Author:  Boissonneau
Publish Year:  1840
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

RAMPHOMICRON
(Trochilidae; Ϯ Purple-backed Thornbill R. microrhynchum) Gr. ῥαμφος rhamphos  bill; μικρον mikron  little; "Bec extrêmement petit et mince, droit, cylindrique" (Boissonneau 1840); "*182. Ramphomicron, Bp. (Mellisuga p. Gr.)   Amer. m.  7.  1. ORNISMYA microrhyncha, Boiss. (brachyrhynchus, Fraser) Mag. Zool. 1840. Ois. t. 16. ex S.^ta Fe de Bogota.   2. ORNISMYA heteropogon, Boiss. (corruscus, Fraser) Rev. Zool. 1839.-Mag. Zool. 1840. Ois. t. 12. ex S.^ta Fe de Bogota.   3. TROCHILUS ruficeps, Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1846. ex Bolivia.   4. TROCHILUS abeillii, Delattre, Rev. Zool. 1839. p. 16. ex Jalapa. [see Abeillia]  ...   5. TROCHILUS sabinae, Bourc. Ann. Sc. Lyon 1846. ex N. Granada.   6. TROCHILUS inornatus, Gould, Pr. Zool. Soc. 1846. p. 89. ex Bolivia.   7. TROCHILUS melanogenys, Fraser, Pr. Zool. Soc. 1840. p. 18. Species 5, 6, 7, bonae, sed valde abnormes!" (Bonaparte 1850); "Ramphomicron Bonaparte, Consp. Av., 1, Mar., 1850, p. 79. Type, by subsequent designation, Ornismya microrhyncha Boissoneau. (Bonaparte, Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. Paris, 30, 8 Apr., 1850, p. 382)." (Peters 1945, V, 117).
Var. Ramphomicrus., Rhamphomicron, Rhamphomicrum, Rhamphomicrus.
Synon. Mychrorynchus.

microrhynchon / microrhynchos / microrhynchum
Gr. μικρος mikros  small; ῥυγχος rhunkhos  bill.

SUBSPECIES

Purple-backed Thornbill (andicola)
Latin Name: Ramphomicron microrhynchum andicola
andicola / andicolum / andicolus
Mod. L. Andium  Andes; L. -cola  dweller  < colere  to dwell.

Purple-backed Thornbill (microrhynchum)
Latin Name: Ramphomicron microrhynchum microrhynchum
microrhynchon / microrhynchos / microrhynchum
Gr. μικρος mikros  small; ῥυγχος rhunkhos  bill.

Purple-backed Thornbill (albiventre)
Latin Name: Ramphomicron microrhynchum albiventre
albiventer / albiventre / albiventris
L. albus  white; venter, ventris  belly.
● ex “Drongri à Ventre Blanc” of Levaillant 1805, pl. 171 (syn. Dicrurus leucophaeus).
● ex “Martin-pêcheur de l’Île de Luçon” of Sonnerat 1776 (Halcyon).
● ex “Hirondelle à ventre blanc de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 546, fig. 2 (Tachycineta).

Purple-backed Thornbill (bolivianum)
Latin Name: Ramphomicron microrhynchum bolivianum
boliviae / boliviana / bolivianum / bolivianus / boliviensis
Bolivia (named after Simón Bolívar (1783-1830) "The Liberator", Venezuelan revolutionary, who helped to expel the Spaniards from their South American empire).