Blue Pitta

SCI Name:  Hydrornis cyaneus
Protonym:  Pitta cyanea J.Asiat.Soc.Bengal 12 p.1008
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Pittidae / Hydrornis
Taxonomy Code:  blupit1
Type Locality:  Arracan.
Author:  Blyth
Publish Year:  1843
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

HYDRORNIS
(Pittidae; Ϯ Blue-naped Pitta H. nipalensis) Gr. ὑδρο- hudro-  water-   < ὑδωρ hudōr, ὑδατος hudatos  water; ορνις ornis, ορνιθος ornithos  bird (see Paludicola); "Pitta nuchalis, Nobis, is identical with Hydrornis (olim Paludicola) Nipalensis, Hodgson, J.A.S. VI, 103: but it is barely separable from the great group of Pitta" (Blyth 1843); "Hydrornis Blyth, 1843, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, 12, p. 960. New name for Paludicola Hodgson, 1837. Type, by monotypy, Paludicola Nipalensis Hodgson." (Mayr in Peters, 1979, VIII, pp. 310-311).   
Synon. Anthocincla, Eucichla, Gigantipitta, Heleornis, Insignipitta, Iridipitta, Leucopitta, Merulanthus, Ornatipitta, Paludicola.

cyaneum / cyaneus
L. cyaneus  dark-blue, sea-blue, greenish-blue  < Gr. κυανεος kuaneos  dark-blue, glossy.
● ex “Blue Hawk” of Edwards 1758 (Circus).
● ex “Black and Blue Creeper” of Edwards 1751, and “Grimpereau bleu du Brésil” of Brisson 1760 (Cyanerpes).
● ex “Merle à tête noire du Cap de Bonne Espérance” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 392 (syn. Donacobius atricapillus).

SUBSPECIES

Blue Pitta (cyaneus)
SCI Name: Hydrornis cyaneus cyaneus
cyaneum / cyaneus
L. cyaneus  dark-blue, sea-blue, greenish-blue  < Gr. κυανεος kuaneos  dark-blue, glossy.
● ex “Blue Hawk” of Edwards 1758 (Circus).
● ex “Black and Blue Creeper” of Edwards 1751, and “Grimpereau bleu du Brésil” of Brisson 1760 (Cyanerpes).
● ex “Merle à tête noire du Cap de Bonne Espérance” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 392 (syn. Donacobius atricapillus).

Blue Pitta (aurantiacus)
SCI Name: Hydrornis cyaneus aurantiacus
aurantiaca / aurantiacus
Mod. L. aurantiacus orange-coloured < Late Med. L. aurantia orange.
● ex “Manakin orangé” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (syn. Pipra aureola).

Blue Pitta (willoughbyi)
SCI Name: Hydrornis cyaneus willoughbyi
willoughbyi
Willoughby Prescott Lowe (1872-1949) British ornithologist, collector in America, Asia and Africa (syn. Camaroptera superciliaris, subsp. Hydrornis cyaneus).