Sun Lark

SCI Name:  Galerida modesta
Protonym:  Galerida modesta J.Orn. 12 p.274
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Alaudidae / Galerida
Taxonomy Code:  sunlar1
Type Locality:  Bongo, Bahr el Ghazal.
Author:  von Heuglin
Publish Year:  1864
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

GALERIDA
(Alaudidae; Ϯ Crested Lark G. cristata) L. galerita, galeritus, galerius or avis galerita  lark with a crest, either the Crested Lark or the Eurasian Skylark  < galerum  cap, bonnet  < galea  helmet; "Fam. Alaudidae.   Gattung Galerida ⁴    Hieher aus Europa:  1. Alauda cristata Lin.   2. — undata Gm.    Africa:  3. cinerea Gm.   4. isabellina Tem. col. 244. fig. 2.   ...   ⁴ Plin." (Boie 1828); "Galerida Boie, 1828, Isis von Oken, col. 321. Type, by subsequent designation, Alauda cristata Linnaeus (Gray, 1840, List. Gen. Birds, p. 47)." (Peters, 1960, IX, p. 55).   
Var. Galerita, Golerida.   
Synon. Calendula, Corydus, Erana, Heliocorys, Heterops, Ptilocorys, Spizalauda.

modesta / modestum / modestus
L. modestus  plain, modest, unassuming  < modus  measure, standard.

SUBSPECIES

Sun Lark (nigrita)
SCI Name: Galerida modesta nigrita
NIGRITA
(Estrildidae; Ϯ Grey-headed Nigrita N. canicapillus) Mod. L. nigritus  black  < L. nigritia  black colour, blackness  < niger  black; "NIGRITA FUSCONOTUS.  ...  Mr. Fraser stated it as his opinion that the bird above described belonged to the Fringillidæ.  It certainly appertains to the genus characterized by Mr. Strickland in the 'Proceedings' for April 1841, p. 30, under the title Æthiops. This genus was founded upon a bird (Æthiops canicapillus) also from Fernando Po, specimens of which Mr. Fraser had obtained and exhibited to the Meeting.  Finding the generic name Æthiops had been previously used for a genus of Monkeys, Mr. Fraser had been requested by Mr. Strickland to substitute for it the new generic title Nigrita. The species described by the gentleman last mentioned will therefore stand as Nigrita canicapillus, Strickl." (Strickland in Fraser 1843); "Nigrita Strickland, in Fraser, 1843, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1842, p. 145. New name for Aethiops Strickland, 1841 (Oct.), preoccupied by Aethiops Martin, 1841 (before Oct.). Type, by monotypy, Aethiops canicapillus Strickland." (Traylor in Peters 1968, XIV, 308-309) (see Aethiops).
Synon. Aethiops, Atopornis, Percnopis.

Sun Lark (modesta)
SCI Name: Galerida modesta modesta
modesta / modestum / modestus
L. modestus  plain, modest, unassuming  < modus  measure, standard.

Sun Lark (struempelli)
SCI Name: Galerida modesta struempelli
struempelli
Lt.-Col. Kurt Friedrich Strümpell (1872-1923) German Army in the Cameroons 1900-1910, geographer, ethnographer, linguist, in charge of the Colonial Section in the Foreign Office, Berlin 1917-1919 (subsp. Galerida modesta, syn. Lanius gubernator, syn. Zosterops senegalensis).

Sun Lark (bucolica)
SCI Name: Galerida modesta bucolica
bucolica
L. bucolicus  pastoral, bucolic  < Gr. βουκολικος  boukolikos  rustic, pastoral  < βουκος boukos  cowherd  < βους bous  cow.