Porphyrio Poliocephalus Bird

English Name:  Gray-headed Swamphen
Latin Name:  Porphyrio poliocephalus
Protonym:  Gallinula poliocephala Suppl.ind.orn. p.lxviii
Taxonomy:  Gruiformes / Rallidae / Porphyrio
Taxonomy Code:  purswa3
Type Locality:  India.
Author:  Latham
Publish Year:  1801
IUCN Status:  

DEFINITIONS

PORPHYRIO
(Rallidae; Ϯ Purple Swamphen P. porphyrio) L. porphyrio, porphyrionis  swamphen  < Gr. πορφυριον porphurion  swamphen  < πορφυρα porphura  purple; "Porphyrio. Genus 87.  ...  Le genre de la Poule-Sultane.  Genus Porphyrionis.  ...  **1. LA POULE-SULTANE.  ...  PORPHYRIO.  ...  Elle est à peu près de la grosseur d'une Poule" (Brisson 1760): based on "Porphyrio" or "Porphyrion" of many authors, and Fulica Porphyrio, Linnaeus, 1758; "Porphyrio Brisson, Orn., 1760, 1, p. 48; 5, p. 522. Type, by tautonymy, Porphyrio Brisson = Fulica porphyrio Linné." (Peters 1934, II, 207). The Purple Swamphen has a wide distribution in the Old World from Spain to Samoa, but some of its forms may warrant specific separation, as in Peters 1934, II, who recognised P. porphyrio, P. madagascariensis, P. poliocephalus, P. pulverulentus, and the extinct P. albus.
Var. Parphyrio, Porphyrion (Gr. πορφυριον porphurion  swamphen), Porphirio. 
Synon. Caesarornis, Cyanornis, Glaucestes, Hydrornia, Ionornis, Jonocicca, Kentrophorina, Mantellornis, Notornis, Porphyriola, Porphyrula.

porphyrio
● Gr. πορφυριος porphurios  purple-clad, bright-red (syn. Habia rubica).
● L. porphyrio, porphyrionis  swamphen  < Gr. πορφυριον porphurion  swamphen, gallinule  < πορφυρα porphura  purple; "82. FULICA.  ...  Porphyrio.  3. F. fronte calva, corpore violaceo, digitis simplicibus.  Fulica major pulla, fronte cera coccinea oblongo-quadrata. Brown. jam. 479.  Porphyrio. Alb. av. 3. p. 79. t. 84. Raj. av. 116. n. 13. Edw. av. 87. t. 87. Dodart. act. 3. p. 30?  Habitat in Asia, America." (Linnaeus 1758) (Porphyrio).

POLIOCEPHALUS
(Podicipedidae; Ϯ Hoary-headed Grebe P. poliocephalus) Specific name Podiceps poliocephalus Jardine & Selby, 1827. "FAM. COLYMBIDÆ.   Genus Podiceps. LATH.  ...  Pod. (Poliocephalus, SELBY) (1) Nestor.  Australia.  ...  (1) Mr. Swainson gives to this group a generic value, but we doubt whether it is even entitled to a subgeneric rank." (Selby 1840); "Poliocephalus Selby, Cat. Gen. Subgen. Types Av., 1840, p. 47. Type, by monotypy and tautonymy, Podiceps poliocephalus Jardine and Selby." (Peters 1931, 1, 35) (see nestor).
Var. Poliocephelus.
Synon. Colymbetes, Dasyptilus.

poliocephalus
Gr. πολιος polios  grey, grizzled; -κεφαλος -kephalos  -headed  < κεφαλη kephalē  head.
● ex “Grey-headed Cuckow” of Latham 1787 (Cuculus).
● ex “Ash-headed Thrush” of Latham 1801 (Turdus).

SUBSPECIES

Gray-headed Swamphen (caspius)
Latin Name: Porphyrio poliocephalus caspius
caspius
L. Caspius Caspian, of the Caspian Sea < Caspium mare.

Gray-headed Swamphen (seistanicus)
Latin Name: Porphyrio poliocephalus seistanicus
seistanica / seistanicus
Seistan or Sistan, a region of eastern Iran and south-western Afghanistan.

Gray-headed Swamphen (poliocephalus)
Latin Name: Porphyrio poliocephalus poliocephalus
POLIOCEPHALUS
(Podicipedidae; Ϯ Hoary-headed Grebe P. poliocephalus) Specific name Podiceps poliocephalus Jardine & Selby, 1827. "FAM. COLYMBIDÆ.   Genus Podiceps. LATH.  ...  Pod. (Poliocephalus, SELBY) (1) Nestor.  Australia.  ...  (1) Mr. Swainson gives to this group a generic value, but we doubt whether it is even entitled to a subgeneric rank." (Selby 1840); "Poliocephalus Selby, Cat. Gen. Subgen. Types Av., 1840, p. 47. Type, by monotypy and tautonymy, Podiceps poliocephalus Jardine and Selby." (Peters 1931, 1, 35) (see nestor).
Var. Poliocephelus.
Synon. Colymbetes, Dasyptilus.

Gray-headed Swamphen (viridis)
Latin Name: Porphyrio poliocephalus viridis
viridis
L. viridis  green  < virere  to be green.
● ex “Merle olive des grandes Indes” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 564, fig. 1 (syn. Acritillas indica).
● ex “Green Grakle” of Latham 1801 (syn. Ailuroedus crassirostris).
● ex “Porphyrio viridis” of Brisson 1760, “Poule-Sultane verte” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Green Gallinule” of Latham 1785 (?syn. Amaurornis akool).
● ex “Meunier de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 861 (syn. Amazona farinosa).
● ex “Grande pie-grièche verdâtre de Madagascar” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 374, and “Tcha-chert-bé” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (Artamella).
● ex “Olivert” of Levaillant 1803, pl. 125 (syn. Camaroptera brachyura).
● ex “Coucou verd d’Antigue” of Sonnerat 1776 (Centropus).
● ex “Tourterelle de Java” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 177 (syn. Chalcophaps indica).
● ex “Grimpereau verd de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 682, fig. 1 (= ♀) (syn. Chlorophanes spiza).
● ex “Grimpereau verd du cap de Bonne Espérance” of Sonnerat 1782 (syn. Cinnyris afer).
● ex “Habia verde” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 89 (Cyclarhis).
● ex “Yellow-brested Chat” of Catesby 1731, “Merula viridis carolinensis” of Brisson 1760, “Merle vert de la Caroline” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Chattering Fly-catcher” of Latham 17783, and Pennant 1785 (syn. Icteria virens).
● ex “Icterus minor viridis” of Brisson 1760, “Troupiale de Saint Domingue” or “Siffleur” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 236, fig. 1, and “Whistler-Oriole” of Latham 1782 (?syn. Icterus galbula).
● ex “Yellow-throated Oriole” (= ☼) of Pennant 1785 (?syn. Icterus galbula (see below)).
● ex “Gallinula brasiliensis” or “Jacana” of Willughby 1676 and Ray 1713, “Jacana” of Brisson 1760, “Jacana vert” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Green Jacana” of Latham 1785 (syn. Jacana spinosa).
● ex “Green Shrike” of Latham 1781 (syn. Leptopterus chabert).
● ex “Blue-green Paradise-bird” of Latham 1783 (syn. Manucodia chalybata).
● "57. MEROPS.  ...  viridis.  2. M. dorso ferrugineo, abdomine alisque viridibus, gula caudaque cæruleis.  Ispida viridis, supra ferruginea. Osb. iter. 96.  Merops viridis, supra ferruginea. Chin. lagerstr. 5.  Merops benghalensis. Alb. av. 3. p. 29. t. 30.  Merops minor, caudæ 2. pennis longioribus & tenuioribus. Edw. av. 183. t. 183.  Habitat in Java, Benghala." (Linnaeus 1758) (Merops).
● ex “Green Grakle” of Latham 1801 (syn. Oriolus sagittatus).
● ex “Caracterizado verde y corona negra” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 210 (Pachyramphus).
● "54. PICUS.  ...  viridis.  7. P. viridis, vertice coccineo. Fn. svec. 80.  Picus viridis. Gesn. av. 710. Aldr. ornith. l. 12. c. 34. Will. ornith. 93. t. 21. Raj. av. 42. Alb. av. I. p. 18. t. 18. Frisch. av. . . t. 35. f. 1.  Habitat in Europa." (Linnaeus 1758) (Picus).
● ex “Courly d’Italie” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 819, and “Courlis vert” of de Buffon 1770-1786 (syn. Plegadis falcinellus).
● ex “Jacana” of Marcgrave 1648, and “Petite Poule-Sultane” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Porphyrula martinica).
● ex “Cassique vert de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 328 (Psarocolius).
● ex “Yellow-throated Oriole” of Pennant 1785 (?syn. Pseudoleistes guirahuro (see above)).
● ex "Barbu de Mahé" of d'Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 870, "Barbu vert" of de Buffon 1770-1786, and "Green Barbet" of Latham 1782 (Psilopogon).
● "46. RAMPHASTOS.  ...  viridis.  1. R. viridis, abdomine flavo, uropygio rubro.  Tucana cajanensis viridis. Briss. av. 4. p. 423. t. 33. f. i.  Tucan pectore flavo. Edw. av. 253. t. 329.  Habitat in Cayana.." (Linnaeus 1766) (Pteroglossus).
● "104. COLUMBA.  ...  viridis.  23. C. ænea, corpore subtus purpuro-violaceo. Briss. av. 1. p. 152. t. 15. f. 2.  Habitat in Amboina.  Pedes rubent plumis semitecti. Br. Rostrum rubrum." (Linnaeus 1766) (Ptilinopus).
● ex “Malkoha Rouverdin” of Levaillant 1807, pl. 225 (syn. Rhamphococcyx curvirostris).
● ex “Green Partridge” of Latham 1783 (syn. Rollulus rouloul).
● ex “Râle de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 368; “The oldest name for this species is undoubtedly viridis of P. L. S. Müller, but I do not adopt it, as there is nothing green about the plumage of the bird” (Sharpe 1894) (to be fair to Statius Müller the plate by d’Aubenton does show a dark-olive-backed bird) (Rufirallus).
● ex "Pie-grièche Perrin" of Levaillant 1808: "Nous devons la connaissance de cette belle pie-grièche à M. Perrin, de Bordeaux" (Telophorus).
● ex “Gobe-mouche hupé du Sénégal” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 573, fig. 2 (Terpsiphone).
● ex “Hirondelle verte” of Temminck 1807 (Tersina).
● ex “Todier de Saint-Domingue” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 585, fig. 2 (syn. Todus subulatus).
● "61. TODUS.  ...  viridis.  1. T. viridis, pectore rubro.  Todus viridis, pectore rubra, rostro recto. Brown. jam. 476. Briss. av. 4. p. 528. t. 41. f. 2.  Rubecula viridis elegantissima. Sloan. jam. 2. p. 306. t.263. f. 1. Raj. av. 187. Edw. av. 121. t. 121.  Habitat in America.  Cauda rotundata." (Linnaeus 1766) (syn. Todus todus).
● "55. TROGON.  ...  viridis.  3. T. viridi aureus, subtus luteus, gula nigra.  Trogon cayanensis viridis. Briss. av. 4. p. 168. t. 17. f. 1.  β. Trogon cayanensis viridis, ventre candido. Briss. av. 4. p. 170.  Habitat in Cayania.  Fascia pectoralis viridi-aurea. An præcedentis varietas aut sexus?  Rectrices in hoc genere XII." (Linnaeus 1766) (Trogon).
● ex “Green-winged Hornbill” of Latham 1787 (unident.; but not a hornbill Bucerotidae).
● ex “Green Coly” of Latham 1787 (unident.; but probably not a mousebird Coliidae).
● ex “Green Wagtail” of Brown 1776 and Latham 1783 (unident.).
● ex “Green Thrush” of Latham 1783 (unident.).