King Rail

SCI Name:  Rallus elegans
Protonym:  Rallus elegans BirdsAm. 3 pl.203 1835Orn.Biogr. 3 p.27
Taxonomy:  Gruiformes / Rallidae / Rallus
Taxonomy Code:  kinrai4
Type Locality:  Kentucky, South Carolina, Louisiana, and north to Camden, N. J. and Philadelphia = Charleston, S. C.
Author:  Audubon
Publish Year:  1834
IUCN Status:  Near Threatened

DEFINITIONS

RALLUS
(Rallidae; Ϯ Water Rail R. aquaticus) Probably from Med. French Rasle or Râle  rail (supported by Sundevall 1873: "Nomen Rallus, primum Rasle, Bélon, dein Râle, est vox gallica medii ævi, nec latina, sed usu diuturno probata",  and BOU 1915: “the latinized form of the French Rale, our Rail, Dutch Ral”), but Gessner 1555 states, "Rallus hæc avis circa Venetias appellatur", and Macleod 1954, has “Latinized form of German ralle, rail (bird)”; "83. RALLUS.  Rostrum basi crassius, compressum, dorso attenuatum apicem versus, æquale, acutum.  Pedes tetradactyli, fissi.  Corpus compressum." (Linnaeus 1758); ex “Rallus aquaticus” of Willughby 1676, and “Water Rail. Rallus Aquaticus” of Albin 1731; "Rallus Linné, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. 153. Type, by subsequent designation, Rallus aquaticus Linné. (Fleming, Mem. Wernerian Nat. Hist. Soc., 3, 1821, p. 176.)" (Peters 1934, II, 157). Linnaeus's Rallus comprised five species (R. Crex, R. aquaticus, R. lariformis, R. benghalensis, R. carolinus).
Var. Railus, Ralus, Rallas, Rullus, Ballus.
Synon. Biensis, Epirallus.

elegans
L. elegans, elegantis  elegant, fine  < elegere probably an early form of eligere   to select.
● ex “Pic jaune tacheté de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 524 (Celeus).
● ex “Bucco maynanensis” of Brisson 1760, “Barbu des Maynas” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 330, “Beau Tamatia” of de Buffon 1770-1786, and “Beautiful Barbet” of Latham 1782 (syn. Eubucco versicolor).
● ex “Perdix martineta” of de Azara 1802-1805 (Eudromia).
● ex “Tangara de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 114, fig. 1 (syn. Euphonia chlorotica).
● ex “Beautiful Lory” of Latham 1781, ?and “Pennantian Parrot” of Latham 1787 (Platycercus).
● ex “Kink de la Chine” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 617 (syn. Sturnia sinensis).

SUBSPECIES

King Rail (Northern)
SCI Name: Rallus elegans elegans
elegans
L. elegans, elegantis  elegant, fine  < elegere probably an early form of eligere   to select.
● ex “Pic jaune tacheté de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 524 (Celeus).
● ex “Bucco maynanensis” of Brisson 1760, “Barbu des Maynas” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 330, “Beau Tamatia” of de Buffon 1770-1786, and “Beautiful Barbet” of Latham 1782 (syn. Eubucco versicolor).
● ex “Perdix martineta” of de Azara 1802-1805 (Eudromia).
● ex “Tangara de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 114, fig. 1 (syn. Euphonia chlorotica).
● ex “Beautiful Lory” of Latham 1781, ?and “Pennantian Parrot” of Latham 1787 (Platycercus).
● ex “Kink de la Chine” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 617 (syn. Sturnia sinensis).

King Rail (Cuban)
SCI Name: Rallus elegans ramsdeni
ramsdeni
Dr Charles Theodore Ramsden (1876-1951) US zoologist, collector in Cuba (syn. Cyanerpes cyaneus carneipes, subsp. Rallus elegans).