Yellow Longbill

SCI Name:  Macrosphenus flavicans
Protonym:  Macrosphenus flavicans Proc.Acad.Nat.Sci.Philadelphia 11 p.42
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Macrosphenidae / Macrosphenus
Taxonomy Code:  yellon1
Type Locality:  Camma River, Western Africa = Sette Cama, Gabon.
Author:  Cassin
Publish Year:  1859
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

MACROSPHENUS
(Macrosphenidae; Ϯ Yellow Longbill M. flavicans) Gr. μακρος makros  long; σφην sphēn, σφηνος sphēnos  wedge; "Genus MACROSPHENUS, nobis.  General aspect of Orthotomus (O. sericeus, Temm.) and Ramphocænus (R. melanurus, Vieill.) but with the bill stronger, wider laterally and more compressed, and with the legs and feet stronger. Bill long, rather strong, straight, wide at base, compressed towards the end, upper mandible carinated, curved and distinctly notched at the tip, nostrils in a large membrane, under mandible rather thick, somewhat curved in its outline, ascending towards its tip.  ...  This genus, which I propose for the species immediately succeeding, is exactly that of a bird in the Rivoli collection now in the Museum of this Academy, labelled "Ramphocene vert, Ramphocenus viridis, Madagascar."  ...   This bird may be Ramphocænus viridis, Lesson, Traite d'Orn., p. 377, but which is stated by M. Lesson to be a species of Brazil.   ...   70. MACROSPHENUS FLAVICANS, nobis.  ...  Hab. Camma River, Western Africa. Discovered by Mr. P. B. Duchaillu.  The affinities of this bird, and that alluded to above, as probably from Madagascar, I have not satisfactorily determined. The general aspect is that of Orthotomus and Ramphocænus, as stated above, but they appear also to be related to Tatare, Lesson, and in fact have the bills very similar to that of Tatare luscinius or Thryothorus luscinius, Quoy et Gaim. Voy. Astrolabe, Ois. pl. 5. At present my opinion is that they belong to the group Troglodytinæ." (Cassin 1859).
Synon. Onychorhinus, Rectirostrum, Suaheliornis.

flavicans
Mod. L. flavicans, flavicantis  becoming yellow, yellowing  < L. flavere  to be golden-yellow   < flavus  golden, yellow.
● ex “Citrin” of Levaillant 1803, pl. 127 (Prinia).
● "96. LOXIA.  ...  flavicans.  10. L. flava, dorso virescente, capite fulvo. Chin. Lagerstr. 17.  Habitat in Asia." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.).
● ex “Aldrovandus’s second bird of paradise” of Willughby 1676, “Manucodiata secunda Aldrovandi” of Ray 1713, “Apiaster flavicans” of Brisson 1760, “Guêpier à tête jaune et blanche” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Yellow Bee-eater” of Latham 1782 (unident.;?Paradisaea sp.).

SUBSPECIES

Yellow Longbill (flavicans)
SCI Name: Macrosphenus flavicans flavicans
flavicans
Mod. L. flavicans, flavicantis  becoming yellow, yellowing  < L. flavere  to be golden-yellow   < flavus  golden, yellow.
● ex “Citrin” of Levaillant 1803, pl. 127 (Prinia).
● "96. LOXIA.  ...  flavicans.  10. L. flava, dorso virescente, capite fulvo. Chin. Lagerstr. 17.  Habitat in Asia." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.).
● ex “Aldrovandus’s second bird of paradise” of Willughby 1676, “Manucodiata secunda Aldrovandi” of Ray 1713, “Apiaster flavicans” of Brisson 1760, “Guêpier à tête jaune et blanche” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Yellow Bee-eater” of Latham 1782 (unident.;?Paradisaea sp.).

Yellow Longbill (hypochondriacus)
SCI Name: Macrosphenus flavicans hypochondriacus
hypochondriaca / hypochondriacum / hypochondriacus
Gr. ὑποχονδριακος hupokhondriakos  of the abdomen  < ὑποχονδριον hupokhondrion  abdomen.