Samoan Fantail

SCI Name:  Rhipidura nebulosa
Protonym:  Rhipidura nebulosa U.S.Expl.Exped. 8 p.99
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Rhipiduridae / Rhipidura
Taxonomy Code:  samfan1
Type Locality:  Upolu, Samoa.
Author:  Peale
Publish Year:  1848
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

RHIPIDURA
(Rhipiduridae; Ϯ New Zealand Fantail R. fuliginosa) Gr. ῥιπις rhipis, ῥιπιδος rhipidos  fan; ουρα oura  tail; “Fan-tailed Fly-catcher  ... flies always with its tail spread in shape of a fan.” (Latham 1783); "Genus. RHIPIDURA*.  Rostrum breve, depressum, basi latum, apice compressum, culmine arcuato; mandibula superiore apice emarginata; naribus basalibus, ovalibus, setis plumulisque fere obtectis; rictu vibrissis confertis mandibulas longitudine fere superantibus instructo.  Alæ mediocres, subacuminatæ; remige prima brevissima, secunda duplo longiore, tertia et quarta, quæ est longissima, gradatim longioribus.  Cauda elongata, patula, apice rotundata.  Pedes mediocres, graciles, acrotarsiis paratarsiisque integris.  This group may be at once recognised as offering strong marks of distinction from the true Muscicapa in the fan-like structure of the tail.   ...   *'Pιπις flabellum, and ουρα cauda.   ...   1. FLABELLIFERA. ...  Muscicapa flabellifera. Gmel. i. 943. no. 67.  Fan-tailed Flycatcher. Lath. Gen. Hist. vi. p. 184. no. 44. pl. 99.  ...  Fantail.—There is something singular in the habits of this bird. It frequents the small trees and bushes, from whence it suddenly darts at its prey, spreading out its tail like a fan, and to appearance turning over like a tumbler Pigeon, and then immediately returning to the same twig or bough from whence it sprang.   ...   2. MOTACILLOIDES.  ...  It bears a great resemblance to the description of Dr. Latham's Motacilla atricapilla, or the Black-topped Flycatcher of his "General History," but differs in the colour of the bill, back and throat.   ...   3. RUFIFRONS.  ...  Muscicapa rufifrons. Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp. p. 1. no. 5.  Rufous-fronted Flycatcher.  Id. Gen. Hist. vi. p. 213. no. 95." (Vigors & Horsfield 1827); "Rhipidura Vigors and Horsfield, 1827, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, 15, p. 246. Type, by subsequent designation (G. R. Gray, 1840, List Gen. Birds, p. 32), Muscicapa flabellifera Gmelin [= Muscicapa fuliginosa Sparrman]." (Mayr in Peters 1986, XI, 530).
Var. Ripidura, Rhipadura, Rhissidura.
Synon. Cyanonympha, Howeavis, Leucocirca, Muscylva, Neomyias, Rhipidicidura, Ripidicala, Rupicula, Sauloprocta, Setosura.

rhipidura / rhipidurus
Gr. ῥιπις rhipis, ῥιπιδος rhipidos  fan; -ουρος -ouros  -tailed  < ουρα oura  tail.

nebulosa / nebulosum / nebulosus
L. nebulosus  misty, cloudy, dark  < nebula  cloud, mist.
● ex “Nebuleux” of Levaillant 1805, pl. 149 (Sylvia artefact).

SUBSPECIES

Samoan Fantail (nebulosa)
SCI Name: Rhipidura nebulosa nebulosa
nebulosa / nebulosum / nebulosus
L. nebulosus  misty, cloudy, dark  < nebula  cloud, mist.
● ex “Nebuleux” of Levaillant 1805, pl. 149 (Sylvia artefact).

Samoan Fantail (altera)
SCI Name: Rhipidura nebulosa altera
alter / altera
L. alter, altera, alterum  second, next, another  < comp. alius  other.
● "13.  ALÆMON HAMERTONI ALTERA, subsp. nov.  ♂ ad.  This bird differs from typical A. hamertoni described above by the whole of the upperside being of a pale sandy colour.  The flanks and belly are also more buff-coloured and the upper breast is more faintly marked with greyish brown, while the under wing-coverts and axillaries are pale sandy buff.  The buff-coloured supercilium is also more distinct." (Witherby 1905) (subsp. Alaemon hamertoni).
● "Ammospiza caudacuta altera subsp. nov.  ...  Similar to Ammospiza caudacuta nelsoni (Allen), but general coloration lighter.  The blackish-brown lateral stripes on the pileum are narrower and the grayish median stripe is correspondingly wider; the superciliaries are paler buff, and the auriculars more grayish and more strongly contrasted with the surrounding parts; the wing coverts and secondaries have paler rusty buff edgings; there is less brownish shading on the back, and the white streaks are less prominent."(Todd 1938) (subsp. Ammospiza nelsoni).
● "Cinnyris habessinicus alter nov. subsp.  Sehr ähnlich dem Cinnyris habessinicus habessinicus von Nord-Abyssinien, aber etwas grösser und mit längerem, geraderem Schnabel." (Neumann 1906) (subsp. Cinnyris habessinicus).
● "CORAPIPO LEUCORRHOA ALTERA, subsp. n.   ♂ Exactly of the same coloration as C. l. leucorrhoa (Scl.) of Colombia, but at once known by the different form of the wing.  The fourth primary the longest  ...  In C. l. leucorrhoa the fifth and sixth primaries are the longest" (Hellmayr 1906) (subsp. Corapipo leucorrhoa).
● "Arising from an enquiry made by Mr. H. G. Deignan of the United States National Museum it appeared that some specimens of the babbler Trichastoma abbotti in the British Museum (Natural History) represent an undescribed race.  Mr. Deignan has asked that a name should be given them so that it can be included in the section of Peter's Check List of the Birds of the World on which he is working.  The specimens were examined by Mrs. B. P. Hall but she left for Africa before a note could be prepared; she has now given me permission to publish a description.  I agree with her that the specimens have distinctive characters and appear to represent a valid race which is named as follows:— Trichastoma abbotti alterum new race.  Description: Nearest to williamsoni Deignan, 1948, but the crown is duller in colour and the forehead less streaked; the remainder of the upper parts are also slightly duller being more chestnut and less rufescent.  The throat is greyer and more distinctly streaked while the breast has more of an ashy than olivaceous wash.  The flanks are slightly paler and duller being more cinnamomeous than rufescent; they also have a somewhat ashy wash." (Sims 1957) (subsp. Malacocincla abbottii).
● "75.  Manucodia ater altera subsp. nov.  ...  Specimens from the south-eastern parts of New Guinea—namely, British New Guinea and the Louisiade Islands (Sudest)—are so much larger (wing in males 193—206 mm., bill about 40—44, against wing (♂) 168—188, bill 35—40 in typical ater) that we are obliged to separate them under a new subspecific name.  The bill is altogether stronger (less slender) and higher, and generally longer, tail and wings longer.  In adult birds the head is generally less greenish than in typical ater." (Rothschild & Hartert 1903) (subsp. Manucodia ater).
● "H. desolatus alter, subsp. n.; Auckland Islands.   Bill broader still, and agreeing very closely with H. d. banksi, under which name it has been commonly known.  The type of H. d. banksi seems immature, and therefore the present race would have a slightly narrower bill.  ...  It should be remembered that the differences are more easily appreciable in nature than would appear from a study of these figures, which are most accurately and carfully drawn." (Mathews 1912) (syn. Pachyptila desolata).
● "PYRRHULA ALTERA, sp. n.   ♂ ad. Similis P. erithaco ♂, sed supra clarius schistaceus, nec murino-brunneus, rubedine pectoris magis miniata, nec aurantiaco-rubra distinguendus.  ...  ♀ ad. Similis P. erithaco ♀, sed saturatior, gastræo intense chocolatino, nec vinaceo-brunneo, dorso sordide chocolatino, pileo colloque postico clarius schistaceis." (Rippon 1906) (syn. Pyrrhula erythaca).
● "Rhipidura nebulosa altera, new subspecies.  ...  Similar to nebulosa, but lighter, white marks more pronounced; the white postocular stripe broader and longer; the white supraloral spot more pronounced; most specimens with a distinct whitish throat which is exceptional in nebulosa; buffy area on lower belly more extended; white margins on the tail-feathers broader; smaller." (Mayr 1931) (subsp. Rhipidura nebulosa).