Spotted Owlet

SCI Name:  Athene brama
Protonym:  Strix brama Pl.Col. livr.12 pl.68
Taxonomy:  Strigiformes / Strigidae / Athene
Taxonomy Code:  spoowl1
Type Locality:  Pondicherry and west coast of India.
Author:  Temminck
Publish Year:  1821
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

ATHENE
(Strigidae; † Little Owl A. noctua) Gr. myth. Athene, goddess of wisdom, war and the liberal arts, whose favourite bird was the owl (γλαυξ glaux), an ancient association from her primitive role as goddess of the night; the Little Owl is depicted on ancient Athenian coins, and still features on the badge of that city; "3. Familie.  Tageulen, Surnia.   ...   17. Gattung. Athene.   32. passerina.   33. Tengmalmi.   34. acadica." (Boie 1822); "Athene Boie, Isis von Oken, 1822, Bd. 1, col. 549. Type, by subsequent designation, A. noctua (Retz.) Boie, Pl. enl. 439. Str. passerina Auct. = Strix noctua Scopoli. (G. R. Gray, List Gen. Bds., ed. 2, 1841, p. 7.)" (Peters, 1940, IV, p. 147).
Var. Althene, Athelle.
Synon. Carine, Cunistrix, Glaux, Noctua, Pholeoptynx, Speotyto.
• (Strigidae; syn. Megascops † Puerto Rican Screech Owl M. nudipes) "IV. Fam. Strigidae   ...   Athene: St. nudipes Daud. u.s.w." (Boie 1826); "Athene Boie, 1826, Isis von Oken, XIX (x), col. 970.  Type, by monotypy, Strix nudipes Daudin, 1800." (JAJ 2020).
Var. Athena.

brama
Brama or Brahma, the supreme Hindu spirit (Athene, syn. Halcyon pileata).

SUBSPECIES

Spotted Owlet (albida)
SCI Name: Athene brama albida
albida
L. albidus whitish, white.

Spotted Owlet (indica)
SCI Name: Athene brama indica
indica
L. Indicus  Indian  < India  India.
● "92. COLUMBA.  ...  indica.  18. C. corpore purpureo, humeris viridibus, superciliis albis.  Columba alis viridibus. Edw. av. 14. t. 14.  Habitat in India orientali.  Pileus cærulescens. Remiges primores nigræ. Rectrices nigræ, sed laterales cinereæ. Flexura alarum nigra albo punctata." (Linnaeus 1758) (Chalcophaps).
● East Indies; ex “Bergeronnette grise des Indes” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Indian Wagtail” of Latham 1783 (Dendronanthus).
● Erroneous TL. Amboina (= Sangihe); ex “Indian Lori” of Latham 1781 (syn. Eos histrio).
● Erroneous TL. India (= Ethiopia); ex “Blue Promerops” of Latham 1787 (?syn. Phoeniculus somaliensis).
● East Indies; ex “Merula olivacea indica” of Brisson 1760, “Merle olive des grands Indes” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 564, fig. 1, and “Indian Thrush” of Latham 1783 (unident.).

Spotted Owlet (brama)
SCI Name: Athene brama brama
brama
Brama or Brahma, the supreme Hindu spirit (Athene, syn. Halcyon pileata).

Spotted Owlet (pulchra)
SCI Name: Athene brama pulchra
pulchra
L. pulcher, pulchra beautiful.
● ex “Rufous-headed Rail” of Latham, 1824 (Sarothrura).