Splendid Fairywren

SCI Name:  Malurus splendens
Protonym:  Saxicola splendens Voy.AstrolabeZool. 1 p.197 AtlasOis. pl.10 fig.1
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Maluridae / Malurus
Taxonomy Code:  splfai1
Type Locality:  King George Sound, southwestern Australia.
Author:  Quoy & Gaimard
Publish Year:  1830
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

MALURUS
(Maluridae; Ϯ Superb Fairy-wren M. cyaneus) Gr. μαλος malos (properly αμαλος amalos)  soft, delicate; ουρα oura  tail; "MÉRION ...  Queue longue, étagée, à rectrices minces à leur naissance, peu épaisses et dilatées à leur extrémité" (Vieillot 1831); "MÉRION, Malurus,  Silvia, Lath. Motacilla, Lin. Gm.  Bec très-grêle, droit, entier, très-court. — Bouche ciliée. — Tarses très-minces. — Doigts extérieurs réunis jusqu'à la deuxième phalange. — Ailes très-courtes. — Queue très-longue, grêle.   Esp. Motacilla aut Sylvia, Cyanea, Gm. Lath.   ...   Malurus [μαλος, tener, ουρα, cauda]." (Vieillot 1816); "Malurus Vieillot, 1816, Analyse, p. 44. Type, by monotypy, Motacilla cyanea Latham." (Mayr in Peters 1986, XI, 391). 
Var. Amalurus, Malacurus, Malums.
Synon. Devisornis, Leggeornis, Musciparus, Nesomalurus, Psitodos, Rosina, Ryania, Todopsis.

splendens
L. splendens, splendentis  brilliant, glittering  < splendere  to shine.
● ex “Moineau de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 224, fig. 3 (subsp. Volatinia jacarini).
● ex “Eclatant” of Levaillant 1801, pl. 85 (Pica artefact).

SUBSPECIES

Splendid Fairywren (splendens)
SCI Name: Malurus splendens splendens
splendens
L. splendens, splendentis  brilliant, glittering  < splendere  to shine.
● ex “Moineau de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 224, fig. 3 (subsp. Volatinia jacarini).
● ex “Eclatant” of Levaillant 1801, pl. 85 (Pica artefact).

Splendid Fairywren (musgravi)
SCI Name: Malurus splendens musgravi
musgravi / musgravianus / musgravii
● Musgrave Ranges, South Australia/ Northern Territory (named after Sir Anthony Musgrave (1828-1888) Gov. of South Australia 1873-1877, Gov. of Queensland 1883-1888) (syn. Gerygone laevigaster mungi, syn. Malurus callainus, syn. Pardalotus rubricatus).
● Musgrave Range, south-eastern New Guinea (syn. Amblyornis macgregoriae).

Splendid Fairywren (melanotus)
SCI Name: Malurus splendens melanotus
melanotus
Gr. μελας melas, μελανος melanos  black; -νωτος -nōtos  -backed  < νωτον nōton  back.

Splendid Fairywren (emmottorum)
SCI Name: Malurus splendens emmottorum
emmottorum
Angus James Emmott (b. 1962) Australian farmer, naturalist, photographer, and his wife Karen (fl. 1999) (subsp. Malurus splendens).