Blue-gray Noddy

SCI Name:  Anous ceruleus
Protonym:  Sterna Cerulea Narr.WhalingVoy. 2 p.248
Taxonomy:  Charadriiformes / Laridae / Anous
Taxonomy Code:  bugnod
Type Locality:  Christmas Island, Pacific Ocean.
Author:  Bennett, FD
Publish Year:  1840
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

ANOUS
(Laridae; Ϯ Brown Noddy A. stolidus) Gr. ανους anous  foolish, silly  < ανοος anoos  without understanding; "ANOÜS.  NODDY.   Generic Character.  Rostrum capite longum, subulatum, subrectum, acutum, compressiusculum; mandibula superiore paulo inclinata.  Nares lineares, basales.  Alæ mediocres.  Cauda haud furcata.  Pedes tetradactyli, debiles; digito postico minuto, ungues parvæ.    ANOÜS. Leach. MS.  STERNA. Linn., Gmel., Lath.  GAVIA. Briss.  PASSER. Ray.   THE Noddies differ from the Terns and Viralves by having the tail nearly equal with the wings, and even at the end: their beak also differs from that of either of the above genera in its form, which approaches somewhat to that of the beak of the Gulls.  They are said to be a very stupid race of birds, and to allow themselves to be knocked on the head without attempting to remove from the place: they are usually of very dark and sombre colours; and are found within the tropics.   BLACK NODDY.  (Anoüs niger.)  ...  They are called Noddies from their apparent stupidity in flying into ships, and allowing themselves to be caught by the hand; but they will frequently inflict very severe wounds with their beak, and scratch with their claws those persons who attempt to catch them.    DUSKY NODDY.  (Anoüs fuscatus.)  ...   SHORT-TAILED NODDY.  (Anoüs plumbea.)  ...   BROWN NODDY.  (Anoüs? spadicea.)" (Stephens 1826); "Anoüs Stephens, in Shaw's Gen. Zool., 13, pt. 1, 1826, p. 139. Type, by subsequent designation, Anoüs niger Stephens = Sterna stolida Linné. (Gray, List Gen. Bds., 1840, p. 79.)" (Peters, 1934, II, p. 346).
Synon. Aganaphron, Anaethetus, Anousella, Gavia, Megalopterus, Micranous, Noddi, Nodinus, Procelsterna, Stolida.

SUBSPECIES

Blue-gray Noddy (saxatilis)
SCI Name: Anous ceruleus saxatilis
saxatilis
L. saxatilis  rock-frequenting  < saxum, saxi  stone, rock.
● ex “Rothe Italiänische Rebhuhn” of Frisch 1733-1763 (subsp. Alectoris graeca).
● (Linnaeus 1766) ex “Petrocossyphos” of Gessner 1555, “Turdus ruber, capite cyaneo” of Frisch 1733-1763, “Turdus capite caeruleo, cauda ferruginea” of Kramer 1756, and “Merula saxatilis minor” of Brisson 1760 (Monticola).
● (J. Gmelin 1789) ex “Greater Redstart” of Willughby 1676, “Merula saxatilis” of Ray 1713, and “Rock Thrush” of Latham 1783 (syn. Monticola saxatilis).

Blue-gray Noddy (nebouxi)
SCI Name: Anous ceruleus nebouxi
nebouxi / nebouxii
Surgeon-Maj. Adolphe-Simon Neboux (1806-1885) French naval surgeon, explorer, naturalist (syn. Mimus patagonicus, subsp. Procelsterna cerulea, syn. Ptilinopus purpuratus, Sula).

Blue-gray Noddy (ceruleus)
SCI Name: Anous ceruleus ceruleus

Blue-gray Noddy (teretirostris)
SCI Name: Anous ceruleus teretirostris
teretirostris
L. teres, teretis  refined, elegant  < terere  to rub; -rostris  -billed  < rostrum  beak.

Blue-gray Noddy (murphyi)
SCI Name: Anous ceruleus murphyi
murphyi
● Dr Robert Cushman Murphy (1887-1973) US ornithologist (syn. Halobaena caerulea, subsp. Pelecanus occidentalis, syn. Phoebetria palpebrata, subsp. Procelsterna cerulea, Progne, Zosterops).
● Charles Barney Gould Murphy (1906-1977) US philanthropist, explorer in the Congo 1928-1929 (subsp. Oreolais pulcher).