The Key to Scientific Names
- irena
Gr. myth. Irene, goddess of peace and plenty.
● ex “Merle vert des Moluques” of Brisson 1760, and “Brêve Irene” of Temminck 1836 (Hydrornis).- IRENA
(Irenidae; Ϯ Asian Fairy-bluebird I. puella) Gr. myth. Irene or Eirene, goddess of peace and plenty (cf. "Eιρηνη, peace: - how connected I know not" (Ashmolean 1836)). "Gen. 16. IRENA. ... The striking and distinctive characters of this genus are, the nares covered with velvet-like feathers, from the base of which strong vibrissæ are protruded, the short feet and the weakness of the claws. It is nearest to Turdus and Oriolus. From the former it differs in the greater arch of the beak and the lateral convexity of the sides of the culmen; from the latter in the curvature of the beak and the elevation of the culmen. It differs from both in the velvet-like covering of the nares, and in the lateral grooves of the upper mandible. The bill is also shorter and more convex than in Meliphaga, which has a semblance of a similar membrane over the nares, but is destitute of the downy covering. Spec. 1. Irena puella mihi. Coracias puella, Lath. Ind. Orn. 171. Bressi Javanis." (Horsfield 1821); "Irena Horsfield, 1821, Trans. Linn. Soc., 13, pl. 1, p. 153. Type, by monotypy, Coracias puella Latham." (Delacour in Peters, 1960, IX, p. 307).
Var. Irene, Jrena.
Synon. Glauconympha, Irenella.- irenae
Irena Domaniewska (1892-1984) Polish teacher, botanist, wife of zoologist Janusz Domaniewski (syn. Picumnus dorbygnianus jelskii).