European Stonechat

SCI Name:  Saxicola rubicola
Protonym:  [Motacilla] Rubicola Syst.Nat.ed.12 ed.12, Tomus I p. 332
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Muscicapidae / Saxicola
Taxonomy Code:  stonec4
Type Locality:  Europae [= France]; restricted to Seine Inferieure by Meinertzhagen, 1940, Ibis, p. 215.
Author:  Linnaeus
Publish Year:  1766
IUCN Status:  

DEFINITIONS

SAXICOLA
(Muscicapidae; Ϯ Common Stonechat S. torquatus rubicola) L. saxum, saxi  stone; -cola  dweller  < colere  to inhabit; "Gattung. Steinschmätzer. Saxicola.   ...  Sie machen den schicklichsten Uebergang zu den Fliegenfängern nach Gestalt und Lebensart; nisten auf der Erde oder in Löchern, und fressen blos Insekten, und zwar Käferarten und Fliegen.  *1. Großer Steinschmätzer (S. Oenanthe).   ...  *2. Braunkehliger Steinschmätzer (S. Rubetra).   ...  Ϯ3. Schwarzkehliger Steinschmätzer (S. Rubicola)" (Bechstein 1802); “Bechstein’s genus Saxicola  ...  contains three species only: œnanthe (Wheatear), rubetra (Whinchat), and rubicola (Stonechat). No type was originally designated, but Swainson (Zoologist Journ. iii. 1827, p. 172) subsequently fixed as the type Motacilla rubicola. Gray in 1841 and Seebohm (Cat. Bds. B. M. v. 1881, p. 362) made “œnanthe” the type; there can be no doubt, however, that Swainson’s designation must stand, and another name be found for the Wheatears” (BOU 1915); "Saxicola Bechstein, 1803, Orn. Taschenb., (1802), p. 216. Type, by subsequent designation (Swainson, 1827, Zool. Journ., 3, p. 172), Motacilla rubicola Linnaeus." (Ripley in Peters 1964, X, 104). Some workers believe that this form could be split into as many as seven species (i.e. S. torquatus, S. rubicola, S. maurus, S. przewalskii, S. stejnegeri, S. albofasciatus, S. sibilla).  
Var. Laxicola.
Synon. Curruca, Fruticicola, Pratincola, Rhodophila, Rubetra.
● (syn. Oenanthe Ϯ Northern Wheatear O. oenanthe) Formerly this name was much used for the wheatears and similar chat-like species (see above).

saxicola
L. saxum, saxi  stone, rock; -cola  dweller  < colere  to inhabit.

rubicola
L. rubus, rubi bramble-bush; -cola dweller < colere to dwell.
● ex “Traquet Pâtre” of Levaillant 1805, pl. 180 (syn. Saxicola torquatus).

Rubicola
● (syn. Perdicula Ϯ Jungle Bush Quail P. asiatica) L. rubus, rubi  bramble-bush; -cola  dweller  < colere  to dwell (cf. specific name Perdicula rubicola Hodgson, 1837 (= syn. Perdicula asiatica)); "The three next are pigmy Partridges, and exhibit every character of the genus Perdix, both as to form and habits; insomuch that I cannot recognise the genus Rubicola, Hodgson, proposed for them in the "Bengal Sporting Magazine" for May, 1837.  Col. Sykes unaccountably ranges them in Coturnix, as if size alone were sufficient to refer them to that group.    5. Perdix Argoondah: Coturnix Argoondah, Sykes, P. Z. S. 1832, 153; P. olivacea, Buchanan Hamilton; Java Partridge of Latham: Bush Quail of sportsmen.  ...   6. P. rubiginosa, Valenciennes; Coturnix Pentah, Sykes, Ibid; Forest Quail of sportsmen.   ...   7. P. erythrorhyncha; Coturnix erythrorhyncha, Sykes: Black Quail of Neilghierry sportsmen." (Blyth 1842); "Rubicola Blyth, 1842, Journal Asiatic Soc. Bengal, XI (II), No. 128, p. 808.  Type, by tautonymy, Perdicula rubicola Hodgson, 1837 = Coturnix pentah Sykes, 1832 = Perdix asiatica Latham, 1790." (mihi 2020).
● (syn. Scolopax Ϯ American Woodcock S. minor) "SUBGENUS III. - RUBICOLA, VIEILL.   235. SCOLOPAX MINOR, GMELIN AND WILSON.   AMERICAN WOODCOCK" (Jameson 1831); "Rubicola¹ "Vieill." JAMESON, ed. Wilson's Amer. Orn., vol. 3 (Constable's Miscellany, vol. 70), 1831, p. 98.  Type, Scolopax minor GMELIN.   ...   ¹Doubtless intended for Rusticola Vieillot  ...  and should replace Philohela Gray." (Richmond 1917).

SUBSPECIES

European Stonechat (hibernans)
SCI Name: Saxicola rubicola hibernans
hibernans
L. hibernans, hibernantis  wintering  < hiberna  winter-quarters  < hibernus  of winter  < hiems, hiemis  winter.

European Stonechat (rubicola)
SCI Name: Saxicola rubicola rubicola
rubicola
L. rubus, rubi bramble-bush; -cola dweller < colere to dwell.
● ex “Traquet Pâtre” of Levaillant 1805, pl. 180 (syn. Saxicola torquatus).