Greater Flameback

SCI Name:  Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus
Protonym:  Picus Guttacristatus J.Asiat.Soc.Bengal 2 p.578
Taxonomy:  Piciformes / Picidae / Chrysocolaptes
Taxonomy Code:  grefla1
Type Locality:  Jungles of Borabhum and Dholbhum.
Author:  Tickell
Publish Year:  1833
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

CHRYSOCOLAPTES
(Picidae; Ϯ Javan Flameback  C. strictus) Gr. χρυσος khrusos  gold; κολαπτης kolaptēs  chiseller  < κολαπτω kolaptō  to peck; "the other group having a well developed fourth toe, and being altogether more powerfully formed, and highly typical or characteristic of the Woodpecker structure. To this last, which may be designated Chrysocolaptes, appertain P. strictus, Horsfield, (v. sultaneus, Hodgson),* P. hæmatribon, Wagler, and also I believe certain other species, together with the following:— P. (Chrysocolaptes) melanotus, Nobis.   ...   *This is generally, I believe, now considered to be P. Goensis, though the description of the latter by Daubenton and others certainly does not apply.—Referring to Dr. Horsfield's catalogue of Javanese birds prefixed to his Volume of Researches, I observe that he there refers his P. strictus to P. Goensis." (Blyth 1843); "Chrysocolaptes Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, 12, pt. 2, 1843, p. 1004. Type, by subsequent designation, C. strictus = Picus strictus Horsfield. (Hargitt, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., 18, 1890, p. 442).²   ...   ² Gray, Cat. Gen. Subgen. Bds., 1855, p. 92, designates Picus sultaneus Hodgson, but this was not one of the originally included species." (Peters, 1948, VI, p. 225).
Synon. Indopicus, Reinwardtipicus, Xylolepes.

guttacristatus
L. gutta  spot; cristatus  crested  < crista  crest.

SUBSPECIES

Greater Flameback (Malabar)
SCI Name: Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus socialis
socialis
L. socialis  sociable, of allies  < socius  allied, sharing  < sequi  to follow.
● ex “Pluvianelle sociable” of Hombron & Jacquinot 1845 (Pluvianellus).
● "Spizella socialis (Wils.)  ...  Bartram calls it "Passer domesticus, the little House Sparrow or Chipping-bird." The bird was so common that Wilson, though its first biographer and namer, makes no mention of it as a novelty" (Trotter 1907) (syn. Spizella passerina).

Greater Flameback (Greater)
SCI Name: Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus [guttacristatus Group]
CHRYSOCOLAPTES
(Picidae; Ϯ Javan Flameback  C. strictus) Gr. χρυσος khrusos  gold; κολαπτης kolaptēs  chiseller  < κολαπτω kolaptō  to peck; "the other group having a well developed fourth toe, and being altogether more powerfully formed, and highly typical or characteristic of the Woodpecker structure. To this last, which may be designated Chrysocolaptes, appertain P. strictus, Horsfield, (v. sultaneus, Hodgson),* P. hæmatribon, Wagler, and also I believe certain other species, together with the following:— P. (Chrysocolaptes) melanotus, Nobis.   ...   *This is generally, I believe, now considered to be P. Goensis, though the description of the latter by Daubenton and others certainly does not apply.—Referring to Dr. Horsfield's catalogue of Javanese birds prefixed to his Volume of Researches, I observe that he there refers his P. strictus to P. Goensis." (Blyth 1843); "Chrysocolaptes Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, 12, pt. 2, 1843, p. 1004. Type, by subsequent designation, C. strictus = Picus strictus Horsfield. (Hargitt, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., 18, 1890, p. 442).²   ...   ² Gray, Cat. Gen. Subgen. Bds., 1855, p. 92, designates Picus sultaneus Hodgson, but this was not one of the originally included species." (Peters, 1948, VI, p. 225).
Synon. Indopicus, Reinwardtipicus, Xylolepes.