Antarctic Tern

SCI Name:  Sterna vittata
Protonym:  Sterna vittata Syst.Nat. 1 pt2 p.609
Taxonomy:  Charadriiformes / Laridae / Sterna
Taxonomy Code:  antter1
Type Locality:  'Insula Nativitatis Christi'' = Christmas Harbor, Kerguelen Island.
Author:  Gmelin, JF
Publish Year:  1789
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

STERNA
(Laridae; Ϯ Common Tern S. hirundo) Old English names Stern, Stearn or Starn for the Black Tern (cf. Swedish Tärna; Norwegian Terne); "70. STERNA.  Rostrum edentulum, subulatum, rectum, acutum apice compressiusculo.  Nares lineares." (Linnaeus 1758); "Sterna Linné, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. 137. Type, by tautonymy, Sterna hirundo Linné (Sterna, prebinomial specific name in synonymy)." (Peters 1934, II, 331). Linnaeus's Sterna comprised three species (S. stolida, S. Hirundo, S. nigra).
Var. Stenia, Terna.
Synon. Chelido, Gygisterna, Potamochelidon, Pseudosterna, Seena, Thalassaea.

sterna
Mod. L. sterna tern.

vittata / vittatum / vittatus
L. vittatus banded, ribboned < vitta ribbon, band.
● ex “Perroquet de St.-Domingue” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 792, “Papegai à bandeau rouge” of de Buffon 1770-1785, and “Red-banded Parrot” of Latham 1783 (Amazona).
● ex “Grey-backed Shrike” of Latham 1821 (Lanius).
● ex “Petrel bleu” of de Buffon 1770-1783, “Blue Peteril” of Cook 1777, “Vittated Petrel” of J. R. Forster 1777, 1778, and “Broad-billed Petrel” of Latham 17856 (Pachyptila).
● ex “Wreathed Tern” of Latham 1785 (Sterna).

SUBSPECIES

Antarctic Tern (Antarctic)
SCI Name: Sterna vittata [vittata Group]
STERNA
(Laridae; Ϯ Common Tern S. hirundo) Old English names Stern, Stearn or Starn for the Black Tern (cf. Swedish Tärna; Norwegian Terne); "70. STERNA.  Rostrum edentulum, subulatum, rectum, acutum apice compressiusculo.  Nares lineares." (Linnaeus 1758); "Sterna Linné, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. 137. Type, by tautonymy, Sterna hirundo Linné (Sterna, prebinomial specific name in synonymy)." (Peters 1934, II, 331). Linnaeus's Sterna comprised three species (S. stolida, S. Hirundo, S. nigra).
Var. Stenia, Terna.
Synon. Chelido, Gygisterna, Potamochelidon, Pseudosterna, Seena, Thalassaea.

Antarctic Tern (South Georgia)
SCI Name: Sterna vittata georgiae
georgi / georgia / georgiae / georgiana / georgianus / georgica / georgicum / georgicus / georgii
● South Georgia I., Southern Ocean (named after George III King of Great Britain (1738-1820; reigned 1760-1820)) (Anas (ex “Georgia Duck” of Latham 1785), syn. Diomedea exulans chionoptera, syn. Pachyptila desolata banksi, Pelecanoides, Phalacrocorax, subsp. Sterna vittata).
● King George’s Sound, Western Australia (named after George III King of Great Britain (1738-1820; reigned 1760-1820)) (syn. Cereopsis novaehollandiae, subsp. Larus pacificus, Quoyornis (ex “Gobe-mouche géorgien” of Quoy & Gaimard 1830)).
● Georgia, formerly part of the Russian Empire, then a republic of the USSR, now an independent republic, located in the Caucasus (Old Persian name gorgan land of wolves, for the area) (syn. Cyanistes caeruleus satunini).
● Interior of Georgia, North America (named after George II King of Great Britain (1683-1760; reigned 1727-1760) (Melospiza).
● L. georgicus  agricultural  < Gr. γεωργικος geōrgikos  farmer (syn. Passer diffusus). Note that George III King of Great Britain (see above) was popularly known as 'Farmer George.'
● Southern Georgia, USA (named after George II King of Great Britain (1683-1760; reigned 1727-1760)) (subsp. Strix varia).
● Georges River, New South Wales, Australia (Björn Bergenholtz in litt.) (syn. Tringa nebularia).
● George Creek, Victoria River, Northern Territory, Australia (syn. Tyto longimembris).