Mauritius Blue-Pigeon

SCI Name:  Alectroenas nitidissimus
Protonym:  Columba nitidissima Del.Flor.Faun.Insubr. 2 p.93
Taxonomy:  Columbiformes / Columbidae / Alectroenas
Taxonomy Code:  mabpig2
Type Locality:  He de France, i.e. Mauritius.
Author:  Scopoli
Publish Year:  1786
IUCN Status:  Extinct

DEFINITIONS

ALECTROENAS
(Columbidae; Ϯ Mauritius Blue Pigeon A. nitidissima) Gr. αλεκτρυων alektruōn, αλεκτρυονος alektruonos  cockerel; οινας oinas, οιναδος oinados  pigeon; "HACKLED P[IGEON] ...  the feathers of the head, neck, and breast, are long, narrow, and pointed, and of a singular construction, appearing as a polished surface, in the same manner as the appendices of the wing feathers of the Bohemian Chatterer, or Wild Indian Cock: round the eye is a naked deep red skin" (Latham 1783); "*ALECTRŒNAS, n.  Columba, Lath.  Colomgalles, Less.   A. Franciæ, (Lath.) n.  Levaill. Ois. d'Afr., pl. 267." (G. Gray 1840); "Alectrœnas G. R. Gray, List Gen. Bds., 1840, p. 58. Type, by original designation, A. Franciae (Lath.) = Columba franciae Gmelin = Columba nitidissima Scopoli." (Peters, 1937, III, p. 40).   
Var. Alectraenas.   
Synon. Chlamydoena, Erythraena, Erythrotreron, Furningus.

nitidissima / nitidissimus
L. nitidissimus  most brilliant  < comp. nitidus  glittering, shining  < nitere  to shine.
● ex “Pigeon Hollandais” of Sonnerat 1782 (‡Alectroenas).