Golden-backed Whistler / Pachycephala aurea

Golden-backed Whistler / Pachycephala aurea

Golden-backed Whistler

SCI Name:  Pachycephala aurea
Protonym:  Pachycephala aurea Orn.Monatsb. 7 p.131
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Pachycephalidae /
Taxonomy Code:  gobwhi1
Type Locality:  Ramu River, northern New Guinea.
Author:  
Publish Year:  1899
IUCN Status:  

DEFINITIONS

PACHYCEPHALA
(Pachycephalidae; Ϯ Golden Whistler P. pectoralis) Gr. παχυς pakhus  large, thick; κεφαλη kephalē  head; from the appearance of their large rounded heads the Indomalayan and Australasian whistlers were formerly known as 'thickheads'; "The interval betweeen the present groups and those of the Pari, where we entered on the family [Pipridæ], appears to be filled up by a race of birds peculiar to New Holland, and hitherto uncharacterized, of which the Muscicapa pectoralis, Lath. is the type*. These, uniting many external characters, at least, both of the Berry-Eaters and Flycatchers, exhibit also in general appearance a considerable resemblance to the Pari, and will be found, I conjecture, to be the connecting bond between all these groups.  ...  * Mr. Swainson has lately formed this group into a genus by the name of Pachycephala.  Nov. 1824." (Vigors 1825); "Genus. PACHYCEPHALA*. Swains. MSS.  ... Caput tumidiusculum.  ...  In their general appearance some of the species exhibit a resemblance to the birds of the genus Procnias, Ill., while by the puffed-out appearance of the feathers about the head, we trace an approximation to some of the Linnean Pari.  ...  * παχυς crassus, and κεφαλη caput" (Vigors & Horsfield 1827). 
Var. Pachycephalus
Synon. Alisterornis, Gilbertornis, Hylocharis, Hyloterpe, Lewinornis, Malacolestes, Mattingleya, Musciterpe, Muscitrea, Mutevodia, Pachycilodryas, Psaltricephus, Pucherania, Timixos.

aurea
L. aureus  golden  < aurum  gold.
● ex “Tui apute-juba” of Marcgrave 1648, “Golden-crowned Parrakeet” of Edwards 1758, and Latham 1781, “Psittaca brasiliensis” of Brisson 1760, and “Perruche couronnée d’or” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (Eupsittula).
● ex “Azurou” of Levaillant 1805, pl. 158 (unident.).