Chinese Gray Shrike

SCI Name:  Lanius sphenocercus
Protonym:  Lanius sphenocercus J.Orn. 21 p.76
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Laniidae / Lanius
Taxonomy Code:  chgshr2
Type Locality:  alleged to be Canton.
Author:  Cabanis
Publish Year:  1873
IUCN Status:  

DEFINITIONS

LANIUS
(Laniidae; Ϯ Great Grey Shrike L. excubitor) L. lanius  butcher  < laniare  to tear to pieces. The shrikes were formerly known as ‘butcher-birds,’ from their habit of storing prey by impaling it on thorns and sharp twigs, giving the resemblance to a butcher’s shambles or slaughterhouse (Mod. L. Lanius (Ray 1713) shrike, butcher-bird); “I reject the compound-name of Butcher-Bird, and retain the old English name of Shrike, from the noise” (Pennant 1773). In nomenclature lanius is used in a variety of combinations for birds with stout, hooked or toothed bills or with the general appearance of a shrike; "43. LANIUS.  Rostrum rectiusculum, dente utrinque versus apicem, basi nudum.  Lingua lacera." (Linnaeus 1758); "Lanius Linnaeus, 1758, Syst. Nat., 10th ed., 1, p. 93. Type, by subsequent designation, Lanius excubitor Linnaeus (Swainson, 1824, Zool. Journ., 1 (1825), p. 294)." (Rand in Peters 1960, IX, 342). This is the fourth diagnosed genus in avian taxonomy. Linnaeus's Lanius comprised ten species (L. cristatus, L. Excubitor, L. Collurio, L. Tyrannus, L. Carnifex, L. Schach, L. Senator, L. cærulescens, L. jocosus, L. Garrulus).   
Var. Lanii, Larius.   
Synon. Caudolanius, Cephalophoneus, Collurio, Creurgus, Enneoctonus, Fiscus, Lanioides, Leucometopon, Neolanius, Neofiscus, Otomela, Phoneus.

lanius
L. lanius  butcher  < laniare  to tear to pieces.

sphenocercus
Gr. σφην sphēn, σφηνος sphēnos  wedge; κερκος kerkos  tail.

Sphenocercus
(syn. Treron Ϯ Sumatran Green Pigeon T. oxyurus) Gr. σφην sphēn, σφηνος sphēnos  wedge; κερκος kerkos  tail; "SPHENOCERCUS, n.  Columba, Temm.  Treron, Steph.  Columbar, Less.  Vinago, Vigors.  Sphenurus ^a, Swains.  ...  ^a Previously employed" (G. Gray 1840).

SUBSPECIES

Chinese Gray Shrike (Chinese)
SCI Name: Lanius sphenocercus sphenocercus
sphenocercus
Gr. σφην sphēn, σφηνος sphēnos  wedge; κερκος kerkos  tail.

Chinese Gray Shrike (Giant)
SCI Name: Lanius sphenocercus giganteus
gigantea / giganteus
L. giganteus  gigantic, of the giants  < gigas, gigantis  giant  < Gr. γιγας gigas, γιγαντος gigantos  giant.
● ex “Coucal Géant” of Levaillant 1807, pl. 223 (syn. Centropus phasianinus).
● ex “Touraco Géant” of Levaillant 1806 (syn. Corythaeola cristata).
● ex Grus leucogeranus Pallas, 1773, and “Sibirian Crane” of Pennant 1785, and Latham 1785 (syn. Grus leucogeranus).
● ex “Gigantic Crane” of Latham 1785 (syn. Leptoptilos dubius).
● ex “Ossifraga” of de Ulloa 1748, “Quebrantahuessos Mouton” of Pernety 1769, “Quebrantahuessos” of de Buffon 1770-1783, de Bougainville 1771, Cook 1777, and Forster 1777, “Osprey Petrel” of Forster 1778, and “Giant Petrel” of Latham 1785 (Macronectes).