Puerto Rican Tody

SCI Name:  Todus mexicanus
Protonym:  Todus mexicanus Ann.Sci.Nat.Zool.(2), 9 p.167,note
Taxonomy:  Coraciiformes / Todidae / Todus
Taxonomy Code:  purtod1
Type Locality:  Mexico, particularly Tampico, error = Puerto Rico.
Author:  Lesson
Publish Year:  1838
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

TODUS
(Todidae; Ϯ Jamaican Tody T. todus) L. todus  small bird mentioned by Plautus and Festus, not further identified, but linked with the Robin Erithacus, Redstart Phoenicurus and similar small birds by subsequent authors.  The todies comprise one of the few families endemic to the West Indies.  In ornithology the genus name is used in combination to distinguish species or groups with flattened, up-turned tody-like bills; "Rostrum mediocre, rectum, latum, tenuiculum, supra infraque planatum, grypanium, lateribus subparallelis, in apicem acutum rotundatis, tomiis maxillaribus pone apicem utrinque emarginatis. Angulus mentalis rotundatus latus" (Illiger 1811); "Todus. Genus 59.  ...  Le genre du Todier. (1).  ...  Le bec droit, assez long, applati horizontalement & obtus.  ...  (1) Todier, nom formé du nom latin Todus, que Browne a donné à la premiere espece de ce genre" (Brisson 1760): based on "Rubecula viridis" of Sloane 1725, "Sylvia gula phœnicea" of Klein 1750, "Green Sparrow" of Edwards 1751, and ""Todus viridis" or "Tom-Tit" of Browne 1756; "Todus Brisson, Orn., 1, 1760, p. 44; 4, p. 528. Type, by tautonymy, Alcedo todus Linné." (Peters 1945, V, 220). 
Var. Todos.
● (?syn. Megarynchus) "Todus Bonn. 1790 (nec Lin. 1766)." is listed in the synonymy of Muscivora in Cabanis & Heine, 1859, Mus. Heineanum, II, p. 65. I have yet to verify or confirm the citation and diagnosis.

todus
L. todus  small bird mentioned by Plautus and Festus, not further identified, but linked with the robin Erithacus or the redstart Phoenicurus by subsequent authors; probably given to the Jamaican Tody because of its small size and robin-like red throat (“Tody  ... The name first given it by Dr Brown, I suppose, from Todi, small birds” (Pennant 1773)); "56. ALCEDO.  ...  Todus.  4. A. brachyura viridis, gula sanguinea, abdomine albo.  Rubecula viridis elegantissima. Edw. av. 121. t. 121. f. 1. Sloan. jam. 2. p. 306. t. 263. f. 1. Raj. av. 187.  Todus viridis, pectore rubro, rostro recto. Brown. jam. 476.  Habitat in America.  Genus dubium & quasi medium inter Alcedinem & Trochilum." (Linnaeus 1758) (Todus).

mexicanum / mexicanus
Mexico (probably named after Mexihtli, another name for Huitzilopochtli the Aztec god of war). This toponym also included New Spain, a former name for Mexico.
● ex “Colcuicuiltu” of Hernandez 1651, and “Caille de la Louisiane” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Colinus virginianus).
● ex “Hoitlalotl” of Hernandez 1651, and de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Courier Pheasant” of Latham 1783 (?syn. Geococcyx velox).
● Erroneous TL. New Spain (= Cayenne); ex “Troupiale brun de la Nouvelle Espagne” (= ☼) of Brisson 1760 (Gymnomystax).
● ex “Comaltecatl” of Hernandez 1651, and “Échasse du Méxique” of Brisson 1760 (subsp. Himantopus himantopus).
● Erroneous TL. Mexico (= Jamaica) (syn. Icterus leucopteryx).
● ex “Merula mexicana” of Seba 1734-1765, “Galgulus mexicanus” of Brisson 1760, “Roller du Mexique” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mexican Roller” of Latham 1781 (?syn. Laniocera or Lipaugus sp.).
● Erroneous TL. New Spain (= Cayenne); ex “Faisan huppé de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 337, “Crested Pheasant” of Latham 1783, Phasianus cristatus J. Gmelin, 1789, and “Penelôpe hoatzin du Méxique” of Temminck 1807 (syn. Opisthocomus hoazin).
● ex “Acacalotl” of Hernandez 1651, “Acalotl” of Willughby 1676, and Ray 1713, “Numenius mexicanus varius” of Brisson 1760, “Acalot” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mexican Ibis” of Latham 1785 (?syn. Plegadis falcinellus).
● ex “Hocitzanatl” of Hernandez 1651, and Ray, 1711, “Pica Mexicana major” of Brisson 1760, “Hocisana” of de Buffon 1770-1783, “Criard” of Pernety 1771, and “Mexican Crow” of Latham 1781 (Quiscalus).
● ex “Tecolotl” of Ray 1713, “Asio mexicanus” of Brisson, and “Mexican Eared Owl” of Latham 1781 (syn. Rhinoptynx clamator).
● ex “Yacapatlahoac” of Hernandez 1651, “Anas clypeata mexicana” or “Souchet du Méxique” of Brisson 1760, and “Mexican Shoveler” of Latham 1785 (syn. Spatula clypeata).
● Erroneous TL. Mexico (= Puerto Rico) (Todus).
● ex “Avis Cocho Psittaci mexicani species” of Seba 1734, and “Psittaca mexicana lutea” of Brisson 1760 (unident.).
● ex “Avis de cocho, psittaci species mexicana vario colore” of Seba 1734, “Psittacula mexicana cristata” of Brisson 1760, and “Crested Mexican Parrakeet” of Latham 1781 (unident.).
● ex “Caxcaxtototl” of Ray 1713, “Cotinga mexicana” of Brisson 1760, “Cacastol” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mexican Stare” of Latham 1783 (unident.).