Black Partridge

SCI Name:  Melanoperdix niger
Protonym:  Cryptonyx niger Zool.J. 4 p.349
Taxonomy:  Galliformes / Phasianidae / Melanoperdix
Taxonomy Code:  blapar2
Type Locality:  No type locaUty given.
Author:  Vigors
Publish Year:  1829
IUCN Status:  Vulnerable

DEFINITIONS

MELANOPERDIX
(Phasianidae; Ϯ Black Partridge M. niger) Gr. μελας melas,  μελανος melanos  black; περδιξ perdix, περδικος perdikos  partridge; "As a very anomalous form of spurless Partridges might here be placed Rollulus (formerly Cryptonyx) coronatus, the crowned Partridge of Malacca, extending to Mergui, remarkable for wanting the claw of the hind toe; and R. niger, (the female of which is R. ferrugineus of Gray in Hardwicke's Illustration,) the type of Melanoperdix, which possesses a minute hind claw. Gray places these birds in a distinct sub-family (Rollulinæ, Bonap.,) in which I think he is right; indeed from their coloration, the fan-like crest, and the different colour of the sexes, they ought rather to be placed with the Gallinæ than with the Partridges." (Jerdon 1864).

niger
L. niger  black, dark coloured, shining black, jet black (cf. ater  dead black, dusky) (see nigra).
● ex “Black Vulture” of Willughby 1676, and Latham 1781, “Swarthy Vulture” of Charleton 1677, “Vultur niger” of Brisson 1760, and “Avoltojo nero” of Cetti 1776 (syn. Aegypius monachus).
● ?ex “Bouvreuil noir d’Afrique” of Brisson 1760 (Bubalornis).
● ex “Black Hawk” of A. Wilson 1812 (syn. Buteo lagopus sanctijohannis).
● ex “Barbu de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 206, fig. 1 (Capito).
● "70. STERNA.  ...  nigra.  3. S. cauda subforficata, corpore cano, capite rostroque nigro, pedibus rubris. Fn. svec. 128.  Hirundo marina minor. Alb. av. 2. p. 82. t. 89.  Sterna fusca. Raj. av. 131.  Larus cinereus minor. Aldr. orn. . .  Habitat in Europa; vivit in societate." (Linnaeus 1758) (Chlidonias).
● ex “Martinet de S. Domingue. Hirundo apus dominicensis” of Brisson 1760, and “Petit Martinet noir” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (Cypseloides).
● ex “Ibis of Bellonius” of Willughby 1676, and Ray 1713, “Ibis” of Brisson 1760, “Ibis noir” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Black Ibis” of Latham 1785 (syn. Geronticus calvus).
● ex “Black Snipe” of Pennant 1785, and Latham 1785 (syn. Haematopus bachmani).
● ex “Black Rail” of Latham 1785 (syn. Limnocorax flavirostris).
● “Vieillot [1817] probably referred to this species, but the brief description might equally apply to P. fuscicollis” (Ogilvie-Grant 1898) (Microcarbo).
● ex “Yellow-tufted Bee-eater” of Latham 1782 (syn. Moho nobilis).
● ex “Barbu à gorge noires” of de Buffon 1770-1783, “Barbu de l’ile de Luçon” of Sonnerat 1782, and “Black-throated Barbet” of Latham 1782 (syn. Notharchus tectus).
● ex “Mésange Noire” of Levaillant 1803, pl. 137 (Melaniparus).
● ex “Black Shrike” of Latham 1781 (Platypsaris).
● ex “Pluvian du Sénégal” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 918 (syn. Pluvianus aegyptius).
● ex "Troupiale noir de Saint-Domingue" of d'Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 534 (Quiscalus).
● ex "Icterus niger" of Brisson 1760, "Troupiale noir" of de Buffon 1770-1783, and "Black Oriole" of Latham 1782, and Pennant 1785 (syn. Quiscalus niger).
● "60. TROCHILUS.  ...  niger.  13. T. rectricibus subæqualibus, corpore nigro subtus aurato, ano albo.  Trochilus niger. Mus. Ad. Fr. I. p. 13.  Habitat in Indiis." (Linnaeus 1758) (describing a melanistic form of this variable species) (Threnetes).
● "52. CUCULUS.  ...  niger.  6. C. cauda cuneiformi, corpore nigro nitido, rostro flavo.  Cuculus indicus niger. Edw. av. 58. t. 58.  Habitat in Benghala." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.).

SUBSPECIES

Black Partridge (niger)
SCI Name: Melanoperdix niger niger
niger
L. niger  black, dark coloured, shining black, jet black (cf. ater  dead black, dusky) (see nigra).
● ex “Black Vulture” of Willughby 1676, and Latham 1781, “Swarthy Vulture” of Charleton 1677, “Vultur niger” of Brisson 1760, and “Avoltojo nero” of Cetti 1776 (syn. Aegypius monachus).
● ?ex “Bouvreuil noir d’Afrique” of Brisson 1760 (Bubalornis).
● ex “Black Hawk” of A. Wilson 1812 (syn. Buteo lagopus sanctijohannis).
● ex “Barbu de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 206, fig. 1 (Capito).
● "70. STERNA.  ...  nigra.  3. S. cauda subforficata, corpore cano, capite rostroque nigro, pedibus rubris. Fn. svec. 128.  Hirundo marina minor. Alb. av. 2. p. 82. t. 89.  Sterna fusca. Raj. av. 131.  Larus cinereus minor. Aldr. orn. . .  Habitat in Europa; vivit in societate." (Linnaeus 1758) (Chlidonias).
● ex “Martinet de S. Domingue. Hirundo apus dominicensis” of Brisson 1760, and “Petit Martinet noir” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (Cypseloides).
● ex “Ibis of Bellonius” of Willughby 1676, and Ray 1713, “Ibis” of Brisson 1760, “Ibis noir” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Black Ibis” of Latham 1785 (syn. Geronticus calvus).
● ex “Black Snipe” of Pennant 1785, and Latham 1785 (syn. Haematopus bachmani).
● ex “Black Rail” of Latham 1785 (syn. Limnocorax flavirostris).
● “Vieillot [1817] probably referred to this species, but the brief description might equally apply to P. fuscicollis” (Ogilvie-Grant 1898) (Microcarbo).
● ex “Yellow-tufted Bee-eater” of Latham 1782 (syn. Moho nobilis).
● ex “Barbu à gorge noires” of de Buffon 1770-1783, “Barbu de l’ile de Luçon” of Sonnerat 1782, and “Black-throated Barbet” of Latham 1782 (syn. Notharchus tectus).
● ex “Mésange Noire” of Levaillant 1803, pl. 137 (Melaniparus).
● ex “Black Shrike” of Latham 1781 (Platypsaris).
● ex “Pluvian du Sénégal” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 918 (syn. Pluvianus aegyptius).
● ex "Troupiale noir de Saint-Domingue" of d'Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 534 (Quiscalus).
● ex "Icterus niger" of Brisson 1760, "Troupiale noir" of de Buffon 1770-1783, and "Black Oriole" of Latham 1782, and Pennant 1785 (syn. Quiscalus niger).
● "60. TROCHILUS.  ...  niger.  13. T. rectricibus subæqualibus, corpore nigro subtus aurato, ano albo.  Trochilus niger. Mus. Ad. Fr. I. p. 13.  Habitat in Indiis." (Linnaeus 1758) (describing a melanistic form of this variable species) (Threnetes).
● "52. CUCULUS.  ...  niger.  6. C. cauda cuneiformi, corpore nigro nitido, rostro flavo.  Cuculus indicus niger. Edw. av. 58. t. 58.  Habitat in Benghala." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.).

Black Partridge (borneensis)
SCI Name: Melanoperdix niger borneensis
bornea / borneana / borneanum / borneanus / borneense / borneensis / bornensis / borneoensis / borneonense / borneonensis / borneus
Borneo  < Malay Brunei  the Barunai or Brunei Sultanate, wealthy, powerful and more extensive in the 15th century  < Sanskrit Váruna  water, rain.
● Erroneous TL. Borneo (= Amboina); "44. PSITTACUS.  ...  borneus.  6. P. macrourus ruber, remigibus rectricibusque apice viridibus, alis macula cærulea.  Psittacus coccineus, cauda longiore. Edw. av. 173. t. 173.  Habitat in India: Borneo." (Linnaeus 1758) (Eos). This name, albeit erroneous, is the fourth toponym in avian nomenclature.