Papuan Black Myzomela

SCI Name:  Myzomela nigrita
Protonym:  Myzomela nigrita Proc.Zool.Soc.London Pt26 no.357 p.173
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Meliphagidae / Myzomela
Taxonomy Code:  blamyz1
Type Locality:  Aru Islands.
Author:  Gray, GR
Publish Year:  1858
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

MYZOMELA
(Meliphagidae; Ϯ Scarlet Myzomela M. sanguinolenta) Gr. μυζαω muzaō  to suck; μελι meli  honey; "This section forms an interesting subdivision of the present group [Meliphagidae], as marking the passage to the Cinnyridæ ...  this type of form may be generically characterized as follows, the Mel. cardinalis being the normal species.  Genus. MYZOMELA.  Rostrum breve, gracile; culmine arcuato, ad basin subcultrato; naribus longitudinalibus, linearibus, perangustis, membrana supra tectis, rostri tertiam partem longitudine æquantibus.  Lingua, alæ, pedesque iidem fere ut in Meliphagis veris.  Cauda subbrevis, æqualis" (Vigors & Horsfield 1827); "Myzomela Vigors and Horsfield, 1827, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, 15, p. 318 [=316]. Type, by original designation, Meliphaga cardinalis Vigors and Horsfield = Certhia sanguinolenta Latham." (Salomonsen in Peters 1967, XII, 350).
Var. Mysomela.
Synon. Cosmeteira, Melomyza.    

NIGRITA
(Estrildidae; Ϯ Grey-headed Nigrita N. canicapillus) Mod. L. nigritus  black  < L. nigritia  black colour, blackness  < niger  black; "NIGRITA FUSCONOTUS.  ...  Mr. Fraser stated it as his opinion that the bird above described belonged to the Fringillidæ.  It certainly appertains to the genus characterized by Mr. Strickland in the 'Proceedings' for April 1841, p. 30, under the title Æthiops. This genus was founded upon a bird (Æthiops canicapillus) also from Fernando Po, specimens of which Mr. Fraser had obtained and exhibited to the Meeting.  Finding the generic name Æthiops had been previously used for a genus of Monkeys, Mr. Fraser had been requested by Mr. Strickland to substitute for it the new generic title Nigrita. The species described by the gentleman last mentioned will therefore stand as Nigrita canicapillus, Strickl." (Strickland in Fraser 1843); "Nigrita Strickland, in Fraser, 1843, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1842, p. 145. New name for Aethiops Strickland, 1841 (Oct.), preoccupied by Aethiops Martin, 1841 (before Oct.). Type, by monotypy, Aethiops canicapillus Strickland." (Traylor in Peters 1968, XIV, 308-309) (see Aethiops).
Synon. Aethiops, Atopornis, Percnopis.

nigrita
Mod. L. nigritus  black  < L. nigritia  black colour, blackness  < niger  black.

SUBSPECIES

Papuan Black Myzomela (steini)
SCI Name: Myzomela nigrita steini
steini
Dr Georg Hermann Wilhelm Stein (1897-1976) German zoologist, collector in the East Indies and New Guinea (subsp. Aerodramus vanikorensis, subsp. Butorides striata, subsp. Cormobates placens, syn. Crateroscelis robusta sanfordi, syn. Gennaeodryas placens, subsp. Microptilotis montanus, subsp. Monarcha cinerascens, subsp. Myzomela nigrita, subsp. Poecilodryas hypoleuca, subsp. Rallicula forbesi, syn. Zosterops montanus).

Papuan Black Myzomela (nigrita)
SCI Name: Myzomela nigrita nigrita
NIGRITA
(Estrildidae; Ϯ Grey-headed Nigrita N. canicapillus) Mod. L. nigritus  black  < L. nigritia  black colour, blackness  < niger  black; "NIGRITA FUSCONOTUS.  ...  Mr. Fraser stated it as his opinion that the bird above described belonged to the Fringillidæ.  It certainly appertains to the genus characterized by Mr. Strickland in the 'Proceedings' for April 1841, p. 30, under the title Æthiops. This genus was founded upon a bird (Æthiops canicapillus) also from Fernando Po, specimens of which Mr. Fraser had obtained and exhibited to the Meeting.  Finding the generic name Æthiops had been previously used for a genus of Monkeys, Mr. Fraser had been requested by Mr. Strickland to substitute for it the new generic title Nigrita. The species described by the gentleman last mentioned will therefore stand as Nigrita canicapillus, Strickl." (Strickland in Fraser 1843); "Nigrita Strickland, in Fraser, 1843, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1842, p. 145. New name for Aethiops Strickland, 1841 (Oct.), preoccupied by Aethiops Martin, 1841 (before Oct.). Type, by monotypy, Aethiops canicapillus Strickland." (Traylor in Peters 1968, XIV, 308-309) (see Aethiops).
Synon. Aethiops, Atopornis, Percnopis.

Papuan Black Myzomela (meyeri)
SCI Name: Myzomela nigrita meyeri
meyeri / meyerianus / meyerii
● Dr Aron Baruch Meyer (known as Adolf Bernhard Meyer) (1840-1911) German physician, collector in the East Indies and New Guinea 1870-1873, Director of Royal Mus. Dresden 1874-1906, zoologist, anthropologist (Accipiter, Chalcites (ex Chrysococcyx splendidus Mayer, 1874), syn. Cinnyris jugularis plateni, Edolisoma, Epimachus, syn. Leptocoma sericea porphyrolaema (ex Hermotimia porphyrolaema scapulata Meyer & Wiglesworth, 1896), subsp. Myzomela nigrita, Pachycephala (ex Pachycephala affinis Meyer, 1884), Philemon (ex Tropidorhynchus inornatus Meyer, 1875), subsp. Pitohui kirhocephalus, subsp. Pucrasia macrolopha, syn. Rhipidura atra, subsp. Tanysiptera galatea, subsp. Timeliopsis fulvigula, syn. Todiramphus chloris, Trichoglossus, subsp. Xanthotis flaviventer (ex Ptilotis pyrrhotis Meyer, 1875)).
● Dr Bernhard Meyer (1767–1836) German botanist, ornithologist, collector (syn. Limosa lapponica, Poicephalus).
● Fr. P. Rudolf Otto Maria Meyer (1877-1937) German missionary to the Bismarck Archipelago 1902-1937 (syn. Acrocephalus stentoreus sumbae, subsp. Hypotaenidia philippensis, subsp. Ptilinopus solomonensis).

Papuan Black Myzomela (pluto)
SCI Name: Myzomela nigrita pluto
pluto / plutonia
Roman myth. Pluto, lord of the underworld (i.e. black, stygian) (subsp. Copsychus saularis, syn. Cygnus atratus, Myiagra, subsp. Myzomela nigrita).

Papuan Black Myzomela (forbesi)
SCI Name: Myzomela nigrita forbesi
forbesi
● William Alexander Forbes (1855-1883) British zoologist, collector in tropical Africa and Brazil (Anumara, syn. Aplopelia simplex, Charadrius, syn. Emberiza affinis, subsp. Halcyon malimbica, subsp. Lagonosticta rara, Leptodon).
● "This new geographical race of the Striped Owl is named for Mr. Dyfrig McH. Forbes, of Potrero Viejo, Veracruz, who, along with his family, has contributed greatly to scientific knowledge by making extensive collections of natural history objects and by assisting personnel connected with various museum expeditions. In the latter regard, the Hacienda Potrero has served as headquarters or temporary abode for numerous field parties of diverse zoological interest" (Lowery & Dalquest 1951) (subsp. Asio clamator).
● Sir Victor Courtenay Walter Forbes (1889-1958) British diplomat in Mexico, Spain and Peru (Atlapetes).
● Henry Ogg Forbes (1851-1932) Scottish botanist, ethnologist, explorer in the East Indies and New Guinea, Director of the Canterbury Mus., New Zealand, 1890-1893, Director of the Liverpool Museums 1894-1911 (Cyanoramphus, syn. Erythrura tricolor, Lonchura, subsp. Myzomela nigrita, Ninox, Rallicula).
● William Cameron Forbes (1870-1959) US banker, diplomat, Commissioner of Philippine Commerce & Police 1904-1908, Vice-Gov. and Gov.-Gen. of the Philippines 1908-1913, Ambassador to Japan 1930-1932 (subsp. Megalurus palustris, syn. Zosterops everetti basilanicus).

Papuan Black Myzomela (louisiadensis)
SCI Name: Myzomela nigrita louisiadensis
louisiadensis
Louisiade Archipelago, Papua New Guinea.