Pale-headed Rosella

SCI Name:  Platycercus adscitus
Protonym:  Psittacus adscitus IndexOrn. 1 p.126
Taxonomy:  Psittaciformes / Psittaculidae / Platycercus
Taxonomy Code:  pahros1
Type Locality:  No locality = Cooktown, Queensland, by designation of Mathews, 1912.
Author:  Latham
Publish Year:  1790
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

PLATYCERCUS
(Psittacidae; Ϯ Crimson Rosella P. elegans) Gr. πλατυκερκος platukerkos  broad-tailed, flat-tailed  < πλατυς platus  broad; κερκος kerkos  tail; "Genus PLATYCERCUS.  Rostrum breviusculum, mandibula superiore rotundata, dilata, inferiore brevis, profunde emarginata, apice quadrato, myxa convexa, glabris integra: naribus rotundis, in ceromate angusto medio emarginato, positis.  Alæ rotundatæ; remigum, prima excepta, pogonio externo abrupte propre medium emarginato; prima 2^da breviore, 5^tæ præcipue æquali secunda et tertia longissimis.  Cauda lata depressa, subrotundata, gradata; rectricibus apice subrotundis.  Pedes, tarsis elevatis; acrotarsiis reticulatis; digitis gracilibus, elongatis; unguibus longis, parum falcatis.   Typus genericus, Ps. Pennantii, Lath.  The interesting group that forms the present division of the Psittacidæ, is at first sight immediately recognized as distinct from all those which are included under the general name of long-tailed Parrots, and which M. Kuhl has separated as a section with the title of Conurus, by the breadth, depression, and rounded apex of the tail: the greater number of the other groups in the same section having that member narrowed and cuneated.  The wings also like the tail are rounded, the first quill feather being shorter than the second; whereas in most of the neighbouring long-tailed groups the first and second quill feathers are of equal length.  All the primary quill feathers except the first are marked by an abrupt emargination of the outer web near the middle, which seems peculiar to the present division of the long-tailed Psittacidæ, with the exception of that of Pezoporus, Ill." (Vigors 1825); "Platycercus Vigors, Zool. Journ., 1, 1825, p. 527. Type, by original designation, Psittacus pennantii Latham = Psittacus elegans Gmelin." (Peters 1937, III, 260).  
Var. Platycircus, Platycercen.
Synon. Hesperopsittacus, Violania.

platycercus
Gr. πλατυκερκος platukerkos  broad-tailed, flat-tailed  < πλατυς platus  broad; κερκος kerkos  tail.

adscitus
L. adscitus (a form of ascitus) approved < asciscere to approve.
● ex “Blue-cheeked Parrot” of Latham 1787 (Platycercus).

SUBSPECIES

Pale-headed Rosella (adscitus)
SCI Name: Platycercus adscitus adscitus
adscitus
L. adscitus (a form of ascitus) approved < asciscere to approve.
● ex “Blue-cheeked Parrot” of Latham 1787 (Platycercus).

Pale-headed Rosella (palliceps)
SCI Name: Platycercus adscitus palliceps
palliceps
L. pallidus  pallid, pale  < pallere  to be pale; -ceps  -headed  < caput, capitis  head.