White-winged Tern

SCI Name:  Chlidonias leucopterus
Protonym:  Sterna leucoptera Man.Orn.[Temminck].ed.1(1814) ed.1(1814) p.483
Taxonomy:  Charadriiformes / Laridae / Chlidonias
Taxonomy Code:  whwter
Type Locality:  Coasts of the Mediterranean.
Author:  Temminck
Publish Year:  1815
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

CHLIDONIAS
(Laridae; Ϯ Black Tern C. niger surinamensis) Curtailment of Gr. χελιδονιος khelidonios  swallow-like  < χελιδων khelidōn, χελιδονος khelidonos  swallow (alluding to the supposed lack of a hind toe (see Turnix)) (cf. Gr. χλιδαω khlidaō  to be delicate); "The tern or Sea-Swallow may be called the black-headed Tern; I have given it the scientific name of Sterna melanops, which implies the same thing.  This Tern was nine inches long from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail, and the dimension of the extended wings was 21 inches.  It was of an ash color above, and white beneath with the head, neck and feet blackish.  The bill was of a lead color, one inch long, compressed and sharp.  The feet had three half-webbed toes, and none behind.  The tail was long and forked, white beneath.   This bird is totally different from all the known Terns, and might even perhaps be considered as a new genus, by its long, compressed bill, toes only half-webbed, and want of a hind toe, to which the name of CHLIDONIAS MELANOPS might be applied.  It was shot in June 1821, near Harrodsburg, and was preserved by Dr. Graham, in whose possession I saw it." (Rafinesque 1822  per Rhoads 1912); "Chlidonias Rafinesque, Kentucky Gazette, n. s., 1, no. 8, 21 Feb., 1822, p. 3, col. 5. Type, by monotypy, Sterna melanops Rafinesque = Sterna surinamensis Gmelin." (Peters, 1934, II, p. 327).
Var. Chlidornis (Gr. ορνις ornis, ορνιθος ornithos  bird).
Synon. Hydrocecropis, Hydrochelidon, Pelodes, Viralva.

leucopterum / leucopterus
Gr. λευκοπτερος leukopteros  white-winged  < λευκος leukos  white; -πτερος -pteros  -winged  < πτερον pteron  wing.
● ex “Mérion leucoptère” of Quoy & Gaimard 1824 (Malurus).
● ex “White-winged Oriole” (= ♂) of Latham 1782, and “White-backed Oriole” of Pennant 1785 (syn. Tachyphonus rufus).

LEPTOPTERUS
(Vangidae; Ϯ Chabert Vanga L. chabert) Gr. λεπτος leptos  delicate, slender; -πτερος -pteros  -feathered  < πτερον pteron  feather, wing; "Subf. 104.  ARTAMINÆ.   ...   48. Leptopterus, Bp.   ...   L'espèce nommée viridis par Gmelin (Analcipus hirundinaceus, Sw.), me donne le genre Leptopterus qui n'est autre que le Leptopteryx, Wagl., auquel, pour pouvoir l'adopter dans le sens restreint, je fais subir cette légère modification." (Bonaparte 1854); "Leptopterus Bonaparte, 1854, Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. Paris, 38, p. 387, 538. Type, by monotypy, [Lanius] viridis Gmelin [= Lanius chabert]." (Rand in Peters 1960, IX, 367).
Var. Leucopterus.
Synon. Abbottornis.