Spot-breasted Laughingthrush

SCI Name:  Garrulax merulinus
Protonym:  Garrulax merulinus J.Asiat.Soc.Bengal 20 p.521
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Leiothrichidae / Garrulax
Taxonomy Code:  spblau1
Type Locality:  Cherrapunji, Khasi Hills, Assam.
Author:  Blyth
Publish Year:  1851
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

GARRULAX
(Leiotrichidae; † White-crested Laughingthrush G. leucolophus belangeri) Genus Garrulus Brisson, 1760, jay; L. -ax  inclining towards (cf. L. garrulus  babbling  <  garrire  to babble); from their noisy behavious the laughingthrushes were formerly known as jay-thrushes; "CII.e Le genre GARRULAXE; Garrulax, Lesson.   ...   Observ. Ce genre est très-distinct des geais et des merles, avec lesquels on a voulu associer les espèces qui le composent, et qui vivent dans l'Inde.  Ce sont:  1.º Le GARRULAXE DE BÉLANGER; Garrulax Belangeri, Less., Zool. du Voy. aux Indes orientales, pl. 4   ...   Cet oiseau est nommé weraôu par les habitans du Pégu, sa patrie.   2.º Le GARRULAXE A FRONT ROUX; Garrulax rufifrons, Less., Zool. du Voy. de Bélanger, pl. 5.   ...   De Java.   3.º Le GARRULAXE AZUR; Garrulax azureus. Less.   ...   Habite le Pégu." (Lesson 1831); "Garrulax Lesson, 1831 (June), Traité d'Orn.: 647.  Type, by subsequent designation, Gray, 1846, Garrulax Belangeri Lesson, but nomen nudum, type hereby designated, Garrulax rufifrons Lesson." (Ripley, 1961, Synopsis Birds India Pakistan, p. 380); "GARRULAX Lesson, 1831  M— Garrulax belangeri Lesson, 1831; type by subsequent designation (G. R. Gray, 1855, Cat. of the Genera and Subgenera of Birds, p. 44)." (Dickinson and Christidis (eds.), H. & M. Complete Checklist, 4th ed., 2014, 2 (Passerines), p. 541).
Synon. Allocotops, Babax, Dryonastes, Garrulaxis, Ianthocincla, Kaznakowia, Leucodioptron, Melanocichla, Pterorhinus, Rhinocichla, Stactocichla.

merulina / merulinus
Med. L. merulinus  blackbird-like, thrush-like  < L. merula  blackbird.
● “Statura T. Merulæ” (Scopoli 1786); ex “Petit Coucou de l’Isle Panay” of Sonnerat 1776: “est de la taille d’un Merle, mais moins corsé, et beaucoup plus allongé” (Cacomantis).
● "LARUS MERULINUS  ...  Statura Turdi Merulæ" (Scopoli 1769) (syn. Chlidonias niger).  
● Specific name Dendrocolaptes merula Lichtenstein, 1820; L. -inus  relating to (syn. Dendrocincla meruloides).
● “General colour deep olive-brown, the medial portion of the under-parts rufescent whitish-brown, and spotted with black on the throat and upper-part of the breast, much as in Turdus musicus [= T. philomelos]” (Blyth 1851) (Garrulax).

SUBSPECIES

Spot-breasted Laughingthrush (merulinus)
SCI Name: Garrulax merulinus merulinus
merulina / merulinus
Med. L. merulinus  blackbird-like, thrush-like  < L. merula  blackbird.
● “Statura T. Merulæ” (Scopoli 1786); ex “Petit Coucou de l’Isle Panay” of Sonnerat 1776: “est de la taille d’un Merle, mais moins corsé, et beaucoup plus allongé” (Cacomantis).
● "LARUS MERULINUS  ...  Statura Turdi Merulæ" (Scopoli 1769) (syn. Chlidonias niger).  
● Specific name Dendrocolaptes merula Lichtenstein, 1820; L. -inus  relating to (syn. Dendrocincla meruloides).
● “General colour deep olive-brown, the medial portion of the under-parts rufescent whitish-brown, and spotted with black on the throat and upper-part of the breast, much as in Turdus musicus [= T. philomelos]” (Blyth 1851) (Garrulax).

Spot-breasted Laughingthrush (obscurus)
SCI Name: Garrulax merulinus obscurus
obscurum / obscurus
L. obscurus  dark, dusky.
● ex “Hook-billed Green Creeper” of Latham 1782 (Akialoa).
● ex “Dusky-crowned Humming-bird” of Latham 1782 (syn. Clytolaema rubricauda).
● ex “Dusky Tody” of Latham 1782, and Pennant 1785 (syn. Contopus virens).
● ex “Pic verd de l’isle de Luçon” of Sonnerat 1776 (syn. Dendropicos griseocephalus).
● ex “Dusky Falcon” of Pennant 1787 (syn. Falco columbarius).
● ex “Dusky Grosbeak” (= ☼) of Pennant, 1784 (syn. Hedymeles ludovicianus).
● ex “Obscure Fly-catcher” of Latham 1823 (syn. Hemipus hirundinaceus).
● "44. PSITTACUS.  ...  obscurus.  3. P. macrourus niger, genis nudis, vertice cinereo-nigrescente vario, cauda cinerea. Hasselq. iter. 236.  Habitat in Africa?" (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.: ?‡syn. Mascarinus mascarin).
● ex “White-rumped Woodpecker” of Latham 1782 (syn. Melanerpes erythrocephalus).
● ex “Tolocatzenatl” of Ray 1713, “Sturnus novae Hispaniae” of Brisson 1760, “Tolcana” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Brown-headed Stare” of Latham 1783 (subsp. Molothrus ater).
● ex “Dusky Rail” of Latham 1785 (syn. Pennula sandwichensis).
● ex “Dusky Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (Phaeornis).
● ex “Black and White Dobchick” of Edwards 1747, “Colymbus minor” of Brisson 1760, “Petit Grèbe” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 942, and “Dusky Grebe” of Pennant 1785, and of Latham 1785 (syn. Podiceps auritus cornutus).
● ex “Dusky Plover” of Latham 1781 (cf. Dusky Bay, New Zealand) (Pluviorhynchus).
● ex “Dusky Petrel” of Latham 1785 (syn. Puffinus assimilis).
● ex “Indian Raven” of Willughby 1676, and “Wreathed Hornbill” of Latham 1781 (syn. Rhyticeros plicatus).
● ex “Dark Thrush” of Latham 1783 (Turdus).
● "This specimen, like many from the Anthony collection, is badly soiled, a condition which may have led Anthony to name a dark race" (Browning 1979) (syn. Vireo huttoni).
● "44. PSITTACUS.   ...   obscurus.  3. P. macrourus niger, genis nudis, vertice cinereo-nigrescente vario, cauda cinerea. Hasselq. iter. 236.  Habitat in Africa ?" (Linnaeus 1758); "Linnæus identified his Psittacus obscurus with P. mascarinus, Briss.  ...  but the evidence is against this identification" (Salvadori 1891) (unident.; nom. dub.).