Sardinian Warbler

SCI Name:  Sylvia melanocephala
Protonym:  Motacilla melanocephala Syst.Nat. 1 pt2 p.970
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Sylviidae / Sylvia
Taxonomy Code:  sarwar1
Type Locality:  Sardinia.
Author:  Gmelin, JF
Publish Year:  1789
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

SYLVIA
(Sylviidae; Ϯ Eurasian Blackcap S. atricapilla) Mod. L. sylvia  woodland sprite  < L. silva or sylva  woodland (cf. Motacilla sylvia Linnaeus, 1766 (considered unidentifiable, but perhaps the Common Whitethroat)); "SYLVIA.  Gens tenuirostris, insectivora, canora, garrula, inquieta, arboribus insidens, strigi illudens, migrans, saltitans nec ambulans, vocem nullam edens dum volat.   227. SYLVIA LUSCINIA.  ...  Ital. Rossignolo. Germ. Nachtigall.  ...  228. SYLVIA CURRUCA.  ...  Ital. Bianchetto. Germ. Spottvogel.  ...  229. SYLVIA ATRICAPILLA.  ...  Ital. Capo nero. Germ. Schwarzplatl.  ...  230. SYLVIA OENANTHE.  ...  Ital. Cullo bianco. Germ. Steinschwazer.  ...  231. SYLVIA RUBECULA.  ...  Ital. Petto rosso, Pitardello, Petuzzo. Germ. Rothkehlchen, Rothkröpfl.  ...  232. SYLVIA PHOENICURUS.  ...  Ital. Scorsolato, Quarossolo. German. Rothschwänzchen, Waldrothschweifl.  ...  233. SYLVIA TITHYS.  ...  Ital. Moretto. Germ. Hausrothschweifl.  ...  234. SYLVIA ZYA.  ...  235. SYLVIA SCHOENOBAENUS?  ...  Ital. Grisato.  ...  236. SYLVIA MUSCIPETA.  ...  Ital. Grisatto bastardo.  ...  237. SYLVIA RUBETRA.  ...  238. SYLVIA TROCHILUS.  ...  Germ. Schmittl.  ...  239. SYLVIA TROGLODYTES.  ...  Ital. Reatolo. Germ. Königerl, Zaunschlupferl.  ...  240. SYVIA REGULUS.  ...  Germ. Goldhähnlein, Zaunkönig." (Scopoli 1769). "When the genus Sylvia, containing upwards of two hundred and fifty species, shall have been properly studied, it will be found practicable to divide it into several more sections, subgenera, and even perhaps genera. This bird [Sylvia palmarum], along with many other North American species, will constitute a highly natural group, very distinct from the true Sylvia, of which S. atricapilla may be considered as the type" (Bonaparte 1828); “This genus, proposed by Scopoli  ...  has no type designated by the author. Of later writers, Swainson in 1836 designated Sylvia hippolais (the Icterine Warbler), Gray in 1840 Sylvia melanocephala (the Sardinian Warbler), and Seebohm in 1881 Sylvia cinerea (the Whitethroat) as the types. As these three species are not to be found among those included by Scopoli in his original list of species, it is obvious that another type must be found. Motacilla sylvia Linnaeus, 1766 (= Sylvia communis Lath.), which might be regarded as the type by tautonymy, cannot be taken into consideration; it is not included in Scopoli’s original list of the members of the genus, and the identification of Motacilla sylvia with Sylvia communis is very doubtful. The Committee suggest that Sylvia curruca (Linn.) should henceforth be regarded as the type of this genus” (BOU 1915); "Sylvia Scopoli, 1769, Annus I Hist. Nat., p. 154. Type, by subsequent designation (Bonaparte, 1828, Amer. Ornith., 2, p. 17), Motacilla atricapilla Linnaeus." (Watson in Peters 1986, XI, 270).
Var. Silvia, Silvya, Slyvia, Sylcia.   
Synon. Adophoneus, Adornis, Aegithalopsis, Alsoecus, Atraphornis, Communis, Corytholaea, Cuphopterus, Cuphornis, Curruca, Dagela, Epilais, Erythroleuca, Ficedula, Horizorhinus, Hortensis, Lioptilornis, Lioptilus, Melizophilus, Melophilus, Monachus, Nisoria, Parisoma, Philacantha, Philydra, Pseudoalcippe, Pyrophthalma, Sterparola, Thamnodus, Trochilus.

sylvia
Mod. L. sylvia  woodland sprite, little bird, warbler  < L. silva  woodland.
● Roman myth. Rhea Silvia, wife to the river god Tiberinus, and mother of the twins Romulus and Remus, founders of Rome; alluding to watery habitats (subsp. Cisticola erythrops, Tanysiptera).
● Roman myth. Silvia, goddess of the forests (syn. Peneothello bimaculata vicaria).
● "99. MOTACILLA.   ...   Sylvia.  9. M. supra cinerea, subtus alba, rectrice prima longitudinaliter dimidiato albo, secunda apice alba. Fn. svec. 228.  Habitat in Europa." (Linnaeus 1758) (?syn. Sylvia curruca).

melanocephala / melanocephalon / melanocephalos / melanocephalum / melanocephalus
Gr. μελας melas, μελανος melanos  black; -κεφαλος -kephalos  -headed  < κεφαλη kephalē  head.
● ex “Black-headed Shrike” of Latham 1783 (syn. Brachypodius atriceps).
● ex “Pato cabeza negra” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 438 (syn. Heteronetta atricapilla).
● ex “Manakin à tête noire de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 303, fig. 1 (syn. Manacus manacus).
● "44. PSITTACUS.  ...  melanocephalus.  33. P. brachiurus viridis subtus luteus, pileo nigro, pectore albo. Mus. Ad. Fr. 2. p.  Psittacus coccineus, ventre albo. Edw. av. 169. t. 169.  Habitat in Mexico." (Linnaeus 1758) (Pionites).
● "96. LOXIA.  ...  melanocephala.  26. L. lutea, capite atro.  Coccothraustes gambogia. Alb. av. 3. p. 58. t. 62.  Habitat in Gvinea." (Linnaeus 1758) (Ploceus).
● ex “Pluvian du Sénégal” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 918, and de Buffon 1770-1786, and “Black-headed Plover” of Latham 1785 (syn. Pluvianus aegyptius).
● ex “Black-headed Ibis” of Latham 1787, and “Tantalus de Macé” of Cuvier 1804 (Threskiornis).
● ex “Black-headed Roller” of Latham 1787 (syn. Urocissa erythrorhyncha).
● ex “Pie Bleue à Tête Noire” of Levaillant 1800, pl. 58 (unident.; ?syn. Urocissa sp.).

SUBSPECIES

Sardinian Warbler (melanocephala)
SCI Name: Sylvia melanocephala melanocephala
melanocephala / melanocephalon / melanocephalos / melanocephalum / melanocephalus
Gr. μελας melas, μελανος melanos  black; -κεφαλος -kephalos  -headed  < κεφαλη kephalē  head.
● ex “Black-headed Shrike” of Latham 1783 (syn. Brachypodius atriceps).
● ex “Pato cabeza negra” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 438 (syn. Heteronetta atricapilla).
● ex “Manakin à tête noire de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 303, fig. 1 (syn. Manacus manacus).
● "44. PSITTACUS.  ...  melanocephalus.  33. P. brachiurus viridis subtus luteus, pileo nigro, pectore albo. Mus. Ad. Fr. 2. p.  Psittacus coccineus, ventre albo. Edw. av. 169. t. 169.  Habitat in Mexico." (Linnaeus 1758) (Pionites).
● "96. LOXIA.  ...  melanocephala.  26. L. lutea, capite atro.  Coccothraustes gambogia. Alb. av. 3. p. 58. t. 62.  Habitat in Gvinea." (Linnaeus 1758) (Ploceus).
● ex “Pluvian du Sénégal” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 918, and de Buffon 1770-1786, and “Black-headed Plover” of Latham 1785 (syn. Pluvianus aegyptius).
● ex “Black-headed Ibis” of Latham 1787, and “Tantalus de Macé” of Cuvier 1804 (Threskiornis).
● ex “Black-headed Roller” of Latham 1787 (syn. Urocissa erythrorhyncha).
● ex “Pie Bleue à Tête Noire” of Levaillant 1800, pl. 58 (unident.; ?syn. Urocissa sp.).

Sardinian Warbler (norrisae)
SCI Name: Sylvia melanocephala norrisae
norrisae
Norris Elisabeth Pryor Nicoll née Lyon (fl. 1925) wife of English ornithologist Michael John Nicoll (subsp. Sylvia melanocephala).

Sardinian Warbler (momus)
SCI Name: Sylvia melanocephala momus
momus
Gr. myth. Momus, god of ridicule and satire, driven from heaven for his forthright opinions, usually represented as masked and carrying a small figurine (subsp. Sylvia melanocephala).