Tasmanian Thornbill

SCI Name:  Acanthiza ewingii
Protonym:  Acanthiza ewingii BirdsAustr. pt17 pl.,text
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Acanthizidae / Acanthiza
Taxonomy Code:  tastho1
Type Locality:  Tasmania.
Author:  Gould
Publish Year:  1844
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

ACANTHIZA
(Acanthizidae; Ϯ Brown Thornbill A. pusilla) Gr. ακανθεων akantheōn  thorn-brake  < ακανθα akantha  thorn  < ακη akē  point; ζαω zaō  to inhabit, to live  < ζω zō  to live; "Genus ACANTHIZA *.  Rostrum gracile, breve, rectum, basi subdepressum, apice compressum, culmine apicem versus leviter arcuato; mandibula superiori subemarginata; naribus linearibus, longitudinalibus, supra membrana tectis, setis plumulisque partim opertis; rictu setis parce instructo.  Alæ subbreves, rotundatæ; remige prima brevi, secunda et tertia gradatim longioribus, quarta longissima, secunda et decima æqualibus.  Pedes graciles, acrotarsiis paratarsiisque integris.  Cauda mediocris, apice subrotundata.   This group is closely connected with that of Malurus. The construction of the wings and legs is the same, and their habits, as far as we can learn, are similar. But the soft, lengthened, and graduated tail, which gives a striking character to the typical species of Malurus, is wanting in the present group, in which the tail is short and rounded.   ...   As in all similar cases of groups thus approximating to each other, we fix our attention on the typical species chiefly of each, which in the present instance may be considered to be Malurus Lamberti and Acanthiza pusilla.   ...   Like the Reguli they appear to be the inhabitants of bushes and low scrubs.   1. NANA.   ...   2. REGULOIDES.   ...   3. FRONTALIS.   ...   4. PYRRHOPYGIA.   ...   5. PUSILLA.   ...   6. BUCHANANI.   ...   *Aκανθεων dumetum, and ζαω vivo." (Vigors & Horsfield 1827).  
Var. Ancathiza, Acanthisa.
Synon. Geobasileus, Milligania, Subacanthiza.

ewingi / ewingii
Revd. Thomas James Ewing (?1813-1882) English clergyman and teacher in Tasmania 1833-1863, naturalist, collector (Acanthiza, subsp. Ptilinopus regina).

SUBSPECIES

Tasmanian Thornbill (ewingii)
SCI Name: Acanthiza ewingii ewingii
ewingi / ewingii
Revd. Thomas James Ewing (?1813-1882) English clergyman and teacher in Tasmania 1833-1863, naturalist, collector (Acanthiza, subsp. Ptilinopus regina).

Tasmanian Thornbill (rufifrons)
SCI Name: Acanthiza ewingii rufifrons
rufifrons
Mod. L. rufifrons, rufifrontis  red-fronted  < L. rufus  red, rufous; frons, frontis  forehead, brow.
● ex “Hirondelle à Front Roux” of Levaillant 1807, pl. 245, fig. 2 (?syn. Hirundo sp.).
● ex “Merle roux de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 644, fig. 1, and “Rufous Thrush” of Latham 1783 (Percnostola).
● ex “Rufous-fronted Flycatcher” of Latham 1801 (Rhipidura).
● ex “Barbu du cap de Bonne Espérance” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 688, fig. 1, “Barbu à plastron noir” of de Buffon 1770-1786, and “Bucco niger var. β” of Latham 1790 (syn. Tricholaema leucomelas).