Jamaican Elaenia

SCI Name:  Myiopagis cotta
Protonym:  Elania cotta Ann.Mag.Nat.Hist.(2), 3 p.257
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Tyrannidae / Myiopagis
Taxonomy Code:  jamela1
Type Locality:  Jamaica.
Author:  Gosse
Publish Year:  1849
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

MYIOPAGIS
(Tyrannidae; Ϯ Greenish Elaenia M. viridicata placens) Gr. μυια muia, μυιας muias  fly; παγις pagis  trap, snare  < παγη pagē  trap; "MYIOPAGIS, gen. nov.  (Type Elainea placens, Scl.)  The form of the nostril of Elainea placens and its allies makes it necessary to separate this section of Elainea and place it under a distinct generic name; and though the outlines of the bill of Myiopagis are similar to those of E. pagana, we think that it is best placed near Leptopogon, which has somewhat similar nostrils, but a higher, more compressed bill.  The species we think ought to be removed from Elainea and placed under the new genus are:—E. placens, E. subplacens, E. cotta, E. gaimardi, E. flavivertex, E. caniceps, and perhaps E. ruficeps.  ...  The bill is moderately long, the sides nearly straight, converging gradually from the gape, the width of which is about half the length of the tomia; the nostrils are open, oval, and placed at the end of the nasal fossa, a membrane bordering them along the upper and hinder edges; the rictal bristles are moderately developed, hardly so much so as in Elainea; the tarsi are moderately stout and covered with distinct scutellæ; the outer toe is a little less than the inner toe; the 3rd and 4th quills are the longest in the wing; 5th>2nd, 1st=8th; the tail is long and scarcely emarginate, nearly=wing, wing nearly=4 tarsus." (Salvin & Godman 1888).
Synon. Elainopsis.

cotta
Cotta Wood, Grand Vale Mt., St Elizabeth Parish, western Jamaica.