Spotted Berrypecker

SCI Name:  Melanocharis crassirostris
Protonym:  Rhamphocharis crassirostris Ann.Mus.Civ.Stor.Nat.Genova 7(1875) p.943 ydP
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Melanocharitidae / Melanocharis
Taxonomy Code:  spober1
Type Locality:  Hatam, Arfak Mountains, northwestern New Guinea.
Author:  Salvadori
Publish Year:  1876
IUCN Status:  

DEFINITIONS

MELANOCHARIS
(Melanocharitidae; Ϯ Black Berrypecker M. nigra) Gr. μελας melas, μελανος melanos  black; χαρις kharis, χαριτος kharitos  beauty  < χαιρω khairō  to rejoice; "Melanocharis nigra, Less., sp.  Dicæum nigrum, Less. Voy. Coq. i. p. 673; Cent. Zool. pl. 27; Müll. Verh. Ethn. p. 162.  Havre Dorey (Less.); Lobo (Müll.)  Mus. Lugd.   Müller and Schlegel say this bird is not a Dicæum, but a Muscicapine, allied to Boie's genus Hylocharis (since changed to Hyloterpe). It does not seem to me to be referable to either of these genera, but, as far as external appearances go, to be more nearly akin to Dicæum than Hyloterpe.  I have therefore used for it the new generic term Melanocharis (μελας, niger, et χαρις, gratia)." (P. Sclater 1858); "Melanocharis Sclater, 1858, Journ. Proc. Linn. Soc. London, Zool., 2, p. 157. Type, by monotypy, Dicaeum niger Lesson." (Salomonsen in Peters 1967, XII, 167).
Var. Merlanocharis.
Synon. Neneba, Pristorhamphus, Sarganura, Urocharis.

crassirostra / crassirostre / crassirostris
L. crassus  thick, heavy; -rostris  -billed  < rostrum  beak.
● ex “Coucou à Gros Bec” of Levaillant 1806, pl. 214 (syn. Eudynamys scolopaceus).
● ex “Alouette à Gros Bec” of Levaillant 1806, pl. 193 (syn. Galerida magnirostris).
● ex “Thick-billed Grosbeak” of Latham 1783 (Oryzoborus).
● ex “Thick-billed Thrush” of Latham 1783 (‡syn. Turnagra capensis).

SUBSPECIES

Spotted Berrypecker (Thick-billed)
SCI Name: Melanocharis crassirostris crassirostris
crassirostra / crassirostre / crassirostris
L. crassus  thick, heavy; -rostris  -billed  < rostrum  beak.
● ex “Coucou à Gros Bec” of Levaillant 1806, pl. 214 (syn. Eudynamys scolopaceus).
● ex “Alouette à Gros Bec” of Levaillant 1806, pl. 193 (syn. Galerida magnirostris).
● ex “Thick-billed Grosbeak” of Latham 1783 (Oryzoborus).
● ex “Thick-billed Thrush” of Latham 1783 (‡syn. Turnagra capensis).

Spotted Berrypecker (Spotted)
SCI Name: Melanocharis crassirostris piperata/viridescens
MELANOCHARIS
(Melanocharitidae; Ϯ Black Berrypecker M. nigra) Gr. μελας melas, μελανος melanos  black; χαρις kharis, χαριτος kharitos  beauty  < χαιρω khairō  to rejoice; "Melanocharis nigra, Less., sp.  Dicæum nigrum, Less. Voy. Coq. i. p. 673; Cent. Zool. pl. 27; Müll. Verh. Ethn. p. 162.  Havre Dorey (Less.); Lobo (Müll.)  Mus. Lugd.   Müller and Schlegel say this bird is not a Dicæum, but a Muscicapine, allied to Boie's genus Hylocharis (since changed to Hyloterpe). It does not seem to me to be referable to either of these genera, but, as far as external appearances go, to be more nearly akin to Dicæum than Hyloterpe.  I have therefore used for it the new generic term Melanocharis (μελας, niger, et χαρις, gratia)." (P. Sclater 1858); "Melanocharis Sclater, 1858, Journ. Proc. Linn. Soc. London, Zool., 2, p. 157. Type, by monotypy, Dicaeum niger Lesson." (Salomonsen in Peters 1967, XII, 167).
Var. Merlanocharis.
Synon. Neneba, Pristorhamphus, Sarganura, Urocharis.