Brown Thornbill

SCI Name:  Acanthiza pusilla
Protonym:  Motacilla Pusilla J.voy.NewS.Wales[White] p.257,pl.
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Acanthizidae / Acanthiza
Taxonomy Code:  brotho1
Type Locality:  New South Wales.
Author:  Shaw
Publish Year:  1790
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

ACANTHIZA
(Acanthizidae; Ϯ Brown Thornbill A. pusilla) Gr. ακανθεων akantheōn  thorn-brake  < ακανθα akantha  thorn  < ακη akē  point; ζαω zaō  to inhabit, to live  < ζω zō  to live; "Genus ACANTHIZA *.  Rostrum gracile, breve, rectum, basi subdepressum, apice compressum, culmine apicem versus leviter arcuato; mandibula superiori subemarginata; naribus linearibus, longitudinalibus, supra membrana tectis, setis plumulisque partim opertis; rictu setis parce instructo.  Alæ subbreves, rotundatæ; remige prima brevi, secunda et tertia gradatim longioribus, quarta longissima, secunda et decima æqualibus.  Pedes graciles, acrotarsiis paratarsiisque integris.  Cauda mediocris, apice subrotundata.   This group is closely connected with that of Malurus. The construction of the wings and legs is the same, and their habits, as far as we can learn, are similar. But the soft, lengthened, and graduated tail, which gives a striking character to the typical species of Malurus, is wanting in the present group, in which the tail is short and rounded.   ...   As in all similar cases of groups thus approximating to each other, we fix our attention on the typical species chiefly of each, which in the present instance may be considered to be Malurus Lamberti and Acanthiza pusilla.   ...   Like the Reguli they appear to be the inhabitants of bushes and low scrubs.   1. NANA.   ...   2. REGULOIDES.   ...   3. FRONTALIS.   ...   4. PYRRHOPYGIA.   ...   5. PUSILLA.   ...   6. BUCHANANI.   ...   *Aκανθεων dumetum, and ζαω vivo." (Vigors & Horsfield 1827).  
Var. Ancathiza, Acanthisa.
Synon. Geobasileus, Milligania, Subacanthiza.

pusilla
L. pusillus  very little, very small  < dim. pusus  little boy  < puer  boy.
● ex “Cinclus dominicensis minor” of Brisson 1760 (Calidris).
● ex “Small Nuthatch” of Catesby 1731, “Petit Torchepot de la Caroline” of Brisson 1760, and “Petite Sittelle à tête brune” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (Sitta).
● ex “Little Sparrow” of Catesby 1731 (Spizella).
● "59. CERTHIA.  ...  pusilla.  2. C. supra grisea, subtus alba, rectricibus fuscis: extimis apice albis.  Certhia fusca minor. Edw. av. 26. l. 26.  Habitat in India." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.; nom. dub.).

SUBSPECIES

Brown Thornbill (dawsonensis)
SCI Name: Acanthiza pusilla dawsonensis
dawsonensis / dawsoni / dawsoniana / dawsonianus / dawsonis
● Dawson River, south-eastern Queensland, Australia (subsp. Acanthiza pusilla, syn. Malurus lamberti, subsp. Ptilotula fusca).
● Prof. Sir John William Dawson (1820-1899) Canadian geologist, founder of palaeobotany, Principal of McGill University 1855-1893 (syn. Falco rusticolus obsoletus).
● William Leon Dawson (1873-1928) US ornithologist (subsp. Leucosticte tephrocotis).

Brown Thornbill (pusilla)
SCI Name: Acanthiza pusilla pusilla
pusilla
L. pusillus  very little, very small  < dim. pusus  little boy  < puer  boy.
● ex “Cinclus dominicensis minor” of Brisson 1760 (Calidris).
● ex “Small Nuthatch” of Catesby 1731, “Petit Torchepot de la Caroline” of Brisson 1760, and “Petite Sittelle à tête brune” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (Sitta).
● ex “Little Sparrow” of Catesby 1731 (Spizella).
● "59. CERTHIA.  ...  pusilla.  2. C. supra grisea, subtus alba, rectricibus fuscis: extimis apice albis.  Certhia fusca minor. Edw. av. 26. l. 26.  Habitat in India." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.; nom. dub.).

Brown Thornbill (diemenensis)
SCI Name: Acanthiza pusilla diemenensis
diemenensis / diemenianus / diemensis
Van Diemen’s Land / Tasmania, Australia (named after Antoon van Diemen (1593-1645) Dutch colonial administrator, Gov.-Gen. of the Dutch East Indies 1636-1645).
● Erroneous TL. Van Diemen’s Land (= Kangaroo I.) (syn. Dromaius baudinianus).
● Erroneous TL. Diemen’s Land (= New Caledonia) (Philemon).

Brown Thornbill (archibaldi)
SCI Name: Acanthiza pusilla archibaldi
archibaldi
● Archibald James Campbell (1853-1929) Australian ornithologist, collector (subsp. Acanthiza pusilla, syn. Sericornis humilis).
● Dr George William Archibald (b. 1946) Canadian ornithologist, conservationist, co-founder of International Crane Foundation 1973 (subsp. Grus grus).

Brown Thornbill (zietzi)
SCI Name: Acanthiza pusilla zietzi
zietzi
● Friedrich Robert Zietz (1874-1922) German /Australian preparator, collector, Ornithologist at South Australian Mus. 1891-1922, founder member of RAOU, son of Amandus Zietz (subsp. Acanthiza pusilla).
● Amandus Heinrich Christian Zietz (1839-1921) German collector, preparator, emigrated to Australia 1884, Assistant Director of South Australian Mus. 1888-1909, founder member of RAOU, aviculturalist (subsp. Neophema petrophila).