White-vented Shama

SCI Name:  Copsychus niger
Protonym:  Cittocincla nigra Trans.Linn.Soc.London(2), 1 p.335 pl.52
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Muscicapidae / Copsychus
Taxonomy Code:  whvsha1
Type Locality:  Palawan.
Author:  Sharpe
Publish Year:  1877
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

COPSYCHUS
(Muscicapidae; Ϯ Oriental Magpie Robin C. saularis) Gr. κοψυχος kopsukhos or κοψιχος kopsikhos  blackbird; "Gracula Saularis Gmel., Lath., Turdus mindanensis Gmel., Lath., Turdus amoenus Horsf., Lanius musicus Raffl., Lanius Shalaris Vieill. *)   ...   *) Constituo ex hac ave genus distinctum Copsychum (Kοψυχος  merula).  Ad hoc accedunt species: Lanius jocosus (idem qui Lanius Emeria Edw. 4. t. 190. fig. e specimine manco.) — Turdus macrurus (Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. 3. t. 114.) — Turdus melanicterus Vieill. N. D. 20. p. 267. (Le Merle jaune huppé Levaill. l.c. t. 117.)" (Wagler 1827); "Copsychus Wagler, 1827, Syst. Av., note to art. Gracula, p. 306. Type, by subsequent designation (Gray, 1840, List Gen. Birds, ed. 1, p. 21), Gracula saularis Linnaeus." (Ripley in Peters, 1964, X, p. 64).
Var. Copsychum.
Synon. Copsicus, Dahila, Gervaisia, Gryllivora, Polypeira.

niger
L. niger  black, dark coloured, shining black, jet black (cf. ater  dead black, dusky) (see nigra).
● ex “Black Vulture” of Willughby 1676, and Latham 1781, “Swarthy Vulture” of Charleton 1677, “Vultur niger” of Brisson 1760, and “Avoltojo nero” of Cetti 1776 (syn. Aegypius monachus).
● ?ex “Bouvreuil noir d’Afrique” of Brisson 1760 (Bubalornis).
● ex “Black Hawk” of A. Wilson 1812 (syn. Buteo lagopus sanctijohannis).
● ex “Barbu de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 206, fig. 1 (Capito).
● "70. STERNA.  ...  nigra.  3. S. cauda subforficata, corpore cano, capite rostroque nigro, pedibus rubris. Fn. svec. 128.  Hirundo marina minor. Alb. av. 2. p. 82. t. 89.  Sterna fusca. Raj. av. 131.  Larus cinereus minor. Aldr. orn. . .  Habitat in Europa; vivit in societate." (Linnaeus 1758) (Chlidonias).
● ex “Martinet de S. Domingue. Hirundo apus dominicensis” of Brisson 1760, and “Petit Martinet noir” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (Cypseloides).
● ex “Ibis of Bellonius” of Willughby 1676, and Ray 1713, “Ibis” of Brisson 1760, “Ibis noir” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Black Ibis” of Latham 1785 (syn. Geronticus calvus).
● ex “Black Snipe” of Pennant 1785, and Latham 1785 (syn. Haematopus bachmani).
● ex “Black Rail” of Latham 1785 (syn. Limnocorax flavirostris).
● “Vieillot [1817] probably referred to this species, but the brief description might equally apply to P. fuscicollis” (Ogilvie-Grant 1898) (Microcarbo).
● ex “Yellow-tufted Bee-eater” of Latham 1782 (syn. Moho nobilis).
● ex “Barbu à gorge noires” of de Buffon 1770-1783, “Barbu de l’ile de Luçon” of Sonnerat 1782, and “Black-throated Barbet” of Latham 1782 (syn. Notharchus tectus).
● ex “Mésange Noire” of Levaillant 1803, pl. 137 (Melaniparus).
● ex “Black Shrike” of Latham 1781 (Platypsaris).
● ex “Pluvian du Sénégal” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 918 (syn. Pluvianus aegyptius).
● ex "Troupiale noir de Saint-Domingue" of d'Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 534 (Quiscalus).
● ex "Icterus niger" of Brisson 1760, "Troupiale noir" of de Buffon 1770-1783, and "Black Oriole" of Latham 1782, and Pennant 1785 (syn. Quiscalus niger).
● "60. TROCHILUS.  ...  niger.  13. T. rectricibus subæqualibus, corpore nigro subtus aurato, ano albo.  Trochilus niger. Mus. Ad. Fr. I. p. 13.  Habitat in Indiis." (Linnaeus 1758) (describing a melanistic form of this variable species) (Threnetes).
● "52. CUCULUS.  ...  niger.  6. C. cauda cuneiformi, corpore nigro nitido, rostro flavo.  Cuculus indicus niger. Edw. av. 58. t. 58.  Habitat in Benghala." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.).