Black-necked Stilt

SCI Name:  Himantopus mexicanus
Protonym:  Charadrius Mexicanus Natursyst.Suppl. Suppl. p.117
Taxonomy:  Charadriiformes / Recurvirostridae / Himantopus
Taxonomy Code:  bknsti
Type Locality:  Mexico.
Author:  Statius Muller
Publish Year:  1776
IUCN Status:  

DEFINITIONS

HIMANTOPUS
(Recurvirostridae; Ϯ Black-winged Stilt H. himantopus) L. himantopus, himantopodis  wading bird now generally identified with the Black-winged Stilt  < Gr. ἱμαντοπους himantopous, ἱμαντοποδος himantopodos  wading bird, spindle-shanks  < ἱμας himas, ἱμαντος himantos  strap, thong; πους pous, ποδος podos  foot; "Himantopus. Genus 67.  ...  Genus Himantopi.  Le genre de l'Echasse. (1). ...  (1) Echasse, nom que j'ai donné aux espèces de ce genre à cause de la longueur de leurs jambes.   **1. L'ECHASSE.  ...  HIMANTOPUS." (Brisson 1760): based on "Himantopus" of ancient and later authors, and Charadrius Himantopus Linnaeus, 1758; "Himantopus Brisson, Orn., 1760, 1, p. 46; 5, p. 33. Type, by tautonymy, Himantopus Brisson = Charadrius himantopus Linné." (Peters, 1934, II, p. 289).  The various allopatric subspecies of the Black-winged Stilt are each often treated as distinct and separate species (i.e. himantopus, leucocephalus, knudseni, mexicanus and melanurus).
Var. Himatopus.
Synon. Calobatus, Himantellus, Hypsibates, Macrotarsus.

himantopus
• Gr. ἱμαντοπους himantopous,  ἱμαντοποδος himantopodos  wading bird, spindle-shanks  < ἱμας himas, ἱμαντος himantos  strap, thong; πους pous, ποδος podos  foot; "TRINGA HIMANTOPUS, Nobis.   Bill much longer than the head, sub-arched; legs very long, toes semipalmated  ...  This new species, which I shot from a flock at Long Branch, New-Jersey, in the middle of July, is very remarkable for its anomalous characters.  It connects still more closely than the other Tringa with subarched bills, the two genera Numenius and Tringa, since to other common traits, it unites the semipalmated toes; indeed, instead of placing it at the head of Tringa, we should place it at the last of Numenius, was it not for its long, slender, and delicate legs and toes." (Bonaparte 1826) (Calidris).
• L. himantopus, himantopodis  wading bird now generally identified with the Black-winged Stilt  < Gr. ἱμαντοπους himantopous,  ἱμαντοποδος himantopodos  wading bird, spindle-shanks  < ἱμας himas, ἱμαντος himantos  strap, thong; πους pous, ποδος podos  foot; “The Legs and Thighs are of a wonderful length, very small and weak  ...  so that well and of right may it be called Himantopus, or Loripes, its Legs being soft and flexible like a thong or string” (Ray 1678); “The old name of himantopus is taken from Pliny: and, by an aukward metaphor, implies that the legs are as slender and pliant as if cut out of a thong of leather” (White 1789); "79. CHARADRIUS.  ...  Himantopus.  10. C. supra niger, subtus albus, rostro nigro capite longiore, pedibus rubris longissimis.  Charadrius autumnalis. Hasselq. iter. 253. n. 29.  Himantopus. Sibb. scot. . . t. 11. 13. Raj. av. 106. Aldr. orn. l. 20. c. 30. Gesn. av.  Habitat in Europa australiore." (Linnaeus 1758) (Himantopus).

mexicanum / mexicanus
Mexico (probably named after Mexihtli, another name for Huitzilopochtli the Aztec god of war). This toponym also included New Spain, a former name for Mexico.
● ex “Colcuicuiltu” of Hernandez 1651, and “Caille de la Louisiane” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Colinus virginianus).
● ex “Hoitlalotl” of Hernandez 1651, and de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Courier Pheasant” of Latham 1783 (?syn. Geococcyx velox).
● Erroneous TL. New Spain (= Cayenne); ex “Troupiale brun de la Nouvelle Espagne” (= ☼) of Brisson 1760 (Gymnomystax).
● ex “Comaltecatl” of Hernandez 1651, and “Échasse du Méxique” of Brisson 1760 (subsp. Himantopus himantopus).
● Erroneous TL. Mexico (= Jamaica) (syn. Icterus leucopteryx).
● ex “Merula mexicana” of Seba 1734-1765, “Galgulus mexicanus” of Brisson 1760, “Roller du Mexique” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mexican Roller” of Latham 1781 (?syn. Laniocera or Lipaugus sp.).
● Erroneous TL. New Spain (= Cayenne); ex “Faisan huppé de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 337, “Crested Pheasant” of Latham 1783, Phasianus cristatus J. Gmelin, 1789, and “Penelôpe hoatzin du Méxique” of Temminck 1807 (syn. Opisthocomus hoazin).
● ex “Acacalotl” of Hernandez 1651, “Acalotl” of Willughby 1676, and Ray 1713, “Numenius mexicanus varius” of Brisson 1760, “Acalot” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mexican Ibis” of Latham 1785 (?syn. Plegadis falcinellus).
● ex “Hocitzanatl” of Hernandez 1651, and Ray, 1711, “Pica Mexicana major” of Brisson 1760, “Hocisana” of de Buffon 1770-1783, “Criard” of Pernety 1771, and “Mexican Crow” of Latham 1781 (Quiscalus).
● ex “Tecolotl” of Ray 1713, “Asio mexicanus” of Brisson, and “Mexican Eared Owl” of Latham 1781 (syn. Rhinoptynx clamator).
● ex “Yacapatlahoac” of Hernandez 1651, “Anas clypeata mexicana” or “Souchet du Méxique” of Brisson 1760, and “Mexican Shoveler” of Latham 1785 (syn. Spatula clypeata).
● Erroneous TL. Mexico (= Puerto Rico) (Todus).
● ex “Avis Cocho Psittaci mexicani species” of Seba 1734, and “Psittaca mexicana lutea” of Brisson 1760 (unident.).
● ex “Avis de cocho, psittaci species mexicana vario colore” of Seba 1734, “Psittacula mexicana cristata” of Brisson 1760, and “Crested Mexican Parrakeet” of Latham 1781 (unident.).
● ex “Caxcaxtototl” of Ray 1713, “Cotinga mexicana” of Brisson 1760, “Cacastol” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mexican Stare” of Latham 1783 (unident.).

SUBSPECIES

Black-necked Stilt (Black-necked)
SCI Name: Himantopus mexicanus mexicanus
mexicanum / mexicanus
Mexico (probably named after Mexihtli, another name for Huitzilopochtli the Aztec god of war). This toponym also included New Spain, a former name for Mexico.
● ex “Colcuicuiltu” of Hernandez 1651, and “Caille de la Louisiane” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Colinus virginianus).
● ex “Hoitlalotl” of Hernandez 1651, and de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Courier Pheasant” of Latham 1783 (?syn. Geococcyx velox).
● Erroneous TL. New Spain (= Cayenne); ex “Troupiale brun de la Nouvelle Espagne” (= ☼) of Brisson 1760 (Gymnomystax).
● ex “Comaltecatl” of Hernandez 1651, and “Échasse du Méxique” of Brisson 1760 (subsp. Himantopus himantopus).
● Erroneous TL. Mexico (= Jamaica) (syn. Icterus leucopteryx).
● ex “Merula mexicana” of Seba 1734-1765, “Galgulus mexicanus” of Brisson 1760, “Roller du Mexique” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mexican Roller” of Latham 1781 (?syn. Laniocera or Lipaugus sp.).
● Erroneous TL. New Spain (= Cayenne); ex “Faisan huppé de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 337, “Crested Pheasant” of Latham 1783, Phasianus cristatus J. Gmelin, 1789, and “Penelôpe hoatzin du Méxique” of Temminck 1807 (syn. Opisthocomus hoazin).
● ex “Acacalotl” of Hernandez 1651, “Acalotl” of Willughby 1676, and Ray 1713, “Numenius mexicanus varius” of Brisson 1760, “Acalot” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mexican Ibis” of Latham 1785 (?syn. Plegadis falcinellus).
● ex “Hocitzanatl” of Hernandez 1651, and Ray, 1711, “Pica Mexicana major” of Brisson 1760, “Hocisana” of de Buffon 1770-1783, “Criard” of Pernety 1771, and “Mexican Crow” of Latham 1781 (Quiscalus).
● ex “Tecolotl” of Ray 1713, “Asio mexicanus” of Brisson, and “Mexican Eared Owl” of Latham 1781 (syn. Rhinoptynx clamator).
● ex “Yacapatlahoac” of Hernandez 1651, “Anas clypeata mexicana” or “Souchet du Méxique” of Brisson 1760, and “Mexican Shoveler” of Latham 1785 (syn. Spatula clypeata).
● Erroneous TL. Mexico (= Puerto Rico) (Todus).
● ex “Avis Cocho Psittaci mexicani species” of Seba 1734, and “Psittaca mexicana lutea” of Brisson 1760 (unident.).
● ex “Avis de cocho, psittaci species mexicana vario colore” of Seba 1734, “Psittacula mexicana cristata” of Brisson 1760, and “Crested Mexican Parrakeet” of Latham 1781 (unident.).
● ex “Caxcaxtototl” of Ray 1713, “Cotinga mexicana” of Brisson 1760, “Cacastol” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mexican Stare” of Latham 1783 (unident.).

Black-necked Stilt (Hawaiian)
SCI Name: Himantopus mexicanus knudseni
knudseni
Valdemar Emil Knudsen (1819-1898) Norwegian plantation owner on Kauai, Hawaiian Is., naturalist, collector (Björn Bergenholtz in litt.) (syn. Ardenna pacifica, subsp. Himantopus himantopus).

Black-necked Stilt (White-backed)
SCI Name: Himantopus mexicanus melanurus
melanurum / melanurus
Gr. μελανουρος melanouros  with a black tail  < μελας melas, μελανος melanos  black; -ουρος -ouros  -tailed  < ουρα oura  tail.
● ex “Mbatuitui zancúdo” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 393 (subsp. Himantopus himantopus).
● ex “Black-tailed Parrakeet” (= ♂) of Lear 1831 (syn. Polytelis anthopeplus).