Melanesian Flycatcher

SCI Name:  Myiagra caledonica
Protonym:  Myiagra caledonica Rev.Mag.Zool.(2), 9 p.55
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Monarchidae / Myiagra
Taxonomy Code:  melfly1
Type Locality:  New Caledonia.
Author:  Bonaparte
Publish Year:  1857
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

MYIAGRA
(Monarchidae; Ϯ Leaden Flycatcher M. rubecula) Gr. μυια muia, μυιας muias  fly; αγρευω agreuō  to catch (cf. μυιαγρος muiagros  fly-catcher; myth. Myiagros, the Fly-catcher, an Elean god invoked against flies); "Genus. MYIÄGRA*.  Rostrum rectum, subbreve, depressum, basi latum, multo latius quam altum; mandibula superiore emarginata; naribus basalibus, ovalibus, setis plumulisque fere obtectis; rictu vibrissis fortibus hirsuto.  Alæ mediocres subrotundatæ; remige prima brevi, secunda duplo fere longiore, tertia quarta et quinta fere æqualibus longissimis.  Cauda mediocris, lata, æqualis aut interdum subfurcata.  Pedes graciles, mediocres; acrotarsiis scutellatis, scutorum suturis vix decernendis.  ...  1. RUBECULOIDES.  ...  2. PLUMBEA.  ...  3. MACROPTERA.  ...  Mr. Caley informs us that the boys of the colony used to call it Winter, the reason of which he does not give.  ...   *Mυια musca, and αγρευω venor." (Vigors & Horsfield 1827); "Myiagra Vigors and Horsfield, 1827, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, 15, p. 250. Type, by subsequent designation (G. R. Grau, 1840, List Gen. Birds, p. 32), Myiagra rubeculoides Vigors and Horsfield = Todus rubecula Latham." (Mayr in Peters 1986, XI, 516). 
Synon. Lophomyiagra, Mastersornis, Piezorhynchus, Platygnathus, Seisura, Submyiagra.

caledonica / caledonicus
New Caledonia, sighted by Captain Cook in 1774, and so named because its forested and mountainous aspect reminded him of Scotland (L. Caledonia  highlands of Scotland).
● ex “New-Caledonian Crow” of Latham 1781 (Coracina).
● ex “Caledonian Night-Heron” of Latham 1785 (Nycticorax).
● ex “Olive Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (Pachycephala).
● Erroneous TL. New Caledonia (= Tasmania); ex “Caledonian Parrot” of Latham 1781 (Platycercus).
● Erroneous TL. New Caledonia (= Buton I., Celebes); ex “Caledonian Crow” of Latham 1801 (syn. Streptocitta albicollis).

SUBSPECIES

Melanesian Flycatcher (caledonica)
SCI Name: Myiagra caledonica caledonica
caledonica / caledonicus
New Caledonia, sighted by Captain Cook in 1774, and so named because its forested and mountainous aspect reminded him of Scotland (L. Caledonia  highlands of Scotland).
● ex “New-Caledonian Crow” of Latham 1781 (Coracina).
● ex “Caledonian Night-Heron” of Latham 1785 (Nycticorax).
● ex “Olive Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (Pachycephala).
● Erroneous TL. New Caledonia (= Tasmania); ex “Caledonian Parrot” of Latham 1781 (Platycercus).
● Erroneous TL. New Caledonia (= Buton I., Celebes); ex “Caledonian Crow” of Latham 1801 (syn. Streptocitta albicollis).

Melanesian Flycatcher (melanura)
SCI Name: Myiagra caledonica melanura
melanura
Gr. μελανουρος melanouros  with a black tail  < μελας melas, μελανος  melanos  black; -ουρος -ouros  -tailed  < ουρα oura  tail.
● ex “Cinereous Fulmar” of Latham 1785 (syn. Adamastor cinerea).
● ex “Mocking Creeper” of Latham 1782 (Anthornis).
● ex “Gros-bec de la Chine” of Sonnerat 1782, and “Grey-necked Grosbeak” of Latham 1783 (syn. Eophona migratoria).

Melanesian Flycatcher (viridinitens)
SCI Name: Myiagra caledonica viridinitens
viridinitens
Mod. L. viridinitens  shining-green, metallic-green  < L. viridis  green  < virere  to be green; nitens, nitentis  shining  < nitere  to glitter.

Melanesian Flycatcher (marinae)
SCI Name: Myiagra caledonica marinae
marinae
Marina (= Espiritu Santo), New Hebrides.

Melanesian Flycatcher (occidentalis)
SCI Name: Myiagra caledonica occidentalis
occidentale / occidentalis
L. occidentalis  western  < occidens, occidentis  west  < occidere  to set. This toponym was frequently given to taxa discovered in locations west of previously known populations.
● Cocal, Western Andes, Colombia (Dysithamnus).
● Jamaica; ex “Onocrotalus” or “Pelecanus fuscus” of Sloane 1725, “Pelican of America” of Edwards 1747, and “Pelecanus” of Browne 1756 (Pelecanus).
● TL. Day Dawn, Western Australia; "Westralian Wedgebill" (Mathews 1912) (Psophodes).