The Key to Scientific Names
- Barbilanius
(artefact) L. barba beard; genus Lanius Linnaeus, 1758, shrike; the “Bec-de-Fer” of Levaillant 1801.
- Campelanius
(Campephagidae; syn. Pericrocotus † White-bellied Minivet P. erythropygius) Portmanteau of genera Campephaga Vieillot, 1816, cuckoo-shrike, and Lanius Linnaeus, 1758, shrike (JG; see Manuscript-names).
- Caudolanius
(Laniidae; syn. Lanius † Long-tailed Shrike L. schach erythronotus) L. cauda tail; genus Lanius Linnaeus, 1758, shrike. This group of shrikes was diagnosed by a long tail, much longer than the wing, and the sharp colour contrast between the upper tail-coverts and the middle rectrices; "Rod. Caudolanius ... Tipom ... L. erythronotus Vig. " (Bianchi 1907) (Laurent Raty in litt.); "Caudolanius Bianchi, 1907, Aves Expeditionis Kozlowi per Mongoliam et Tibetiam orientalem 1899-1901, p. 204. Type, by original designation, L. erythronotus Vig., i.e. Collurio erythronotus Vigors, 1831." (JAJ 2021).
- Cephalanius
(Tyrannidae; ?syn. Conopias Ϯ Three-striped Flycatcher C. trivirgatus) Gr. κεφαλη kephalē head; genus Lanius Linnaeus, 1758, shrike; "808 c. (2342.) CEPHALANIUS, Pr. B. 1854. (Muscicapa superciliosa, Gm.)" (G. Gray 1855) (see Myiacleptes).
- CYANOLANIUS
(Vangidae; Ϯ Madagascar Blue Vanga C. madagascarinus) Gr. κυανος kuanos dark-blue; genus Lanius Linnaeus, 1758, shrike; "Subf. 104. ARTAMINÆ. ... 49. Cyanolanius, Bp. ... Ces Artamiens hirundiniformes, si je puis m'exprimer ainsi, sont tellement tranchés, que ce n'est qu'en hésitant et à cause de sa ressemblance avec Lept. viridis, que j'y joins mon Cyanolanius, genre institué pour la délicieuse petite Pie-grièche de Madagascar (Lanius bicolor, L.), que je fais suivre par Tephrolanius, tout en reconnaissant que ces deux derniers genres sont autant des LANIIDES que des ARTAMIDES." (Bonaparte 1854); "Cyanolanius Bonaparte, 1854, Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci. Paris, XXXVIII, pp. 387, 538. Type, by monotypy, Lanius bicolor Linnaeus, 1771 = Loxia madagascarina Linnaeus, 1766." (JAJ 2021).
Synon. Cyanolestes.-
Cymbilanius (See: CYMBILAIMUS)
CYMBILAIMUS (Thamnophilidae; Ϯ Fasciated Antshrike C. lineatus) L. cymba small boat, skiff (especially that used by Charon to ferry the dead); genus Lanius Linnaeus, 1758, shrike; Cabanis & Heine 1860, considered the final part of the name to be from Gr. λαιμος laimos throat; "CYMBILAIMUS, n. Lanius, Leach. C. lineatus, (Leach,) n. Zool. Misc., pl. vi" (G. Gray 1840); "Cymbilaimus GRAY, List Gen. Birds, 1840, p. 36 (type by orig. desig. Lanius lineatus LEACH)." (Hellmayr, 1924, Cat. Birds Americas, Pt. III, p. 37).
Var. Cymbilanius, Cymbolaemus.- Erythrolanius
Gr. ερυθρος eruthros red; genus Lanius Linnaeus, 1758, shrike.
● (Thraupidae; syn. Compsothraupis † Scarlet-throated Tanager C. loricata) "Gen. LAMPROTES Sws. 1837. Glanz-Tangara. (Erythrolanius et Sericossypha Less.) 156. 1. L. loricatus Nob. — Tanagra loricata Jll. Licht. Doubl. No. 340. Tanagra rubricollis Spix (in textu) et Tanagra rubrigularis Av. Bras. II. tab. 56. f. 1. (mas adult.) — Lamprotes rubricollis Sws. — Tachyphonus loricatus Gray. Gen. Birds No. 2. Lamprotes ruficollis Gray l. c. No. 1. — Erythrolanius rubricollis Less. — Saltator niger Vieill?" (Cabanis 1853); "Erythrolanius Cabanis, 1853, Museum Heineanum, I, p. 23 (not of Lesson, 1840). Type, by monotypy, Tanagra loricata Lichtenstein, 1819." (JAJ 2021).
● (Oriolidae; syn. Oriolus † Black-and-crimson Oriole O. cruentus) ; "G. ERYTHROLANE, Erythrolanius, Less. - Ocypterus, Temm. - Analcipus, Sw. - Artamia, Isid. Geoff., 1834. - Philocarpus, Muller. 1º E. rubropectus, Less. - Analcipus sanguinolentus, Sw. - Ocypterus sanguinolentus, Temm., pl. col. 499. - Leptopterix cruenta, Wagler, sup. 9. - Lanius cruentus, Drapiez, Dict. class., t. XIII, p. 527, 1828, et Mus. de Monaco. - Artamia sanguinolentus, Isid. Geoff. - Hab. îles de Java, de Sumatra et de Borneo, nommé Dadan-Mirha. 2º E. rubricollis, Less. ... Hab. île de Sumatra" (Lesson 1840); "Erythrolanius Lesson, 1840, Revue Zoologique, III, p. 274. Type, by subsequent designation (G. Gray, 1850, Cat. Genera Subgenera Birds Brit. Mus., p. 46), Ocypterus sanguinolentus Temminck, 1830 = Leptopteryx cruenta Wagler, 1827." (JAJ 2021).- Hirundolanius
(Coraciidae; syn. Eurystomus Ϯ Pacific Dollarbird E. pacificus ) Compound of genera Hirundo Linnaeus, 1758, swallow, and Lanius Linnaeus, 1758, shrike; "Eurystomus pacificus. Lath. AUSTRALIAN ROLLER. DOLLAR-BIRD. ... This species is included on the authority of a communication from Mr. F. E. Clarke to the Westland Institute on the 18th February, 1881, describing it under the name of Hirundolanius cœruleus" (Buller 1882); ""Hirundolanius Clarke." This name is referred to by Count Salvadori as having been omitted from Waterhouse's "Index." It, however, appears to have no standing; it was not printed in the Trans. N. Z. Inst., XIII, 1881, p. 454, and was quoted by Buller (Birds New Zealand, ed. 2, 1, 1888, p. 119) only to be discredited." (Richmond 1902).
- lanius
L. lanius butcher < laniare to tear to pieces.
- LANIUS
(Laniidae; Ϯ Great Grey Shrike L. excubitor) L. lanius butcher < laniare to tear to pieces. The shrikes were formerly known as ‘butcher-birds,’ from their habit of storing prey by impaling it on thorns and sharp twigs, giving the resemblance to a butcher’s shambles or slaughterhouse (Mod. L. Lanius (Ray 1713) shrike, butcher-bird); “I reject the compound-name of Butcher-Bird, and retain the old English name of Shrike, from the noise” (Pennant 1773). In nomenclature lanius is used in a variety of combinations for birds with stout, hooked or toothed bills or with the general appearance of a shrike; "43. LANIUS. Rostrum rectiusculum, dente utrinque versus apicem, basi nudum. Lingua lacera." (Linnaeus 1758); "Lanius Linnaeus, 1758, Syst. Nat., 10th ed., 1, p. 93. Type, by subsequent designation, Lanius excubitor Linnaeus (Swainson, 1824, Zool. Journ., 1 (1825), p. 294)." (Rand in Peters, 1960, IX, p. 342). This is the fourth diagnosed genus in avian taxonomy. Linnaeus's Lanius comprised ten species (L. cristatus, L. Excubitor, L. Collurio, L. Tyrannus, L. Carnifex, L. Schach, L. Senator, L. cærulescens, L. jocosus, L. Garrulus).
Var. Lanii, Larius.
Synon. Basanistes, Caudolanius, Cephalophoneus, Collurio, Corvinella, Creurgus, Enneoctonus, Fiscus, Lanioides, Leucometopon, Neolanius, Neofiscus, Otomela, Phoneus, Urolestes.
● (Laniidae; quasi-syn. Lanius † Brown Shrike L. cristatus) (Linnaeus 1758: for OD see above.) “Lanius Linnaeus, 1758, Systema Naturae, 10th ed., I, p. 93. Type, by subsequent designation (G. Gray, 1855, Cat. Genera Subgenera Birds Brit. Mus., p. 59), Lanius cristatus Linnaeus, 1758.” (JAJ 2023).
● (Laniidae; quasi-syn. Lanius † Red-backed Shrike L. collurio) “The Chairman again resumed the exhibition of the Himalayan birds; and calling the attention of the Committee to the number of species now known to belong to the genus Lanius as restricted by modern authors, and to the expediency of subdividing the group according to the modifications of form exhibited in the wings and tail, proposed the following characters as separating the two genera. LANIUS. ... Typus genericus, Lanius Collurio, Linn. COLLURIO. ... Typus genericus, Lanius Excubitor, Linn.” (Vigors 1830); “Lanius Vigors, 1830, Proc. Comm. Science Corresp. Zool. Soc. London, I, p. 42. Type, by original designation, Lanius collurio Linnaeus, 1758.” (JAJ 2023).
● (Dicruridae; syn. Dicrurus † Crested Drongo D. forficatus) "44. LANIUS. Rostrum rectiusculum, dente utrinque versus apicem, basi nudum. Lingua lacera." (Linnaeus 1766). Here Linnaeus’s Lanius comprised 26 species; “Lanius Linnaeus, 1766, Systema Naturae, 12th ed., I, p. 134. Type, by subsequent designation (G. Gray, 1855, Cat. Genera Subgenera Birds Brit. Mus., p. 58), Lanius forficatus Linnaeus, 1766.” (JAJ 2023).
● (Falcunculidae; syn. Falcunculus † Eastern Shrike-tit F. frontatus) G. Gray, 1855, Cat. Genera Subgenera Birds Brit. Mus., p. 60, lists Lanius Temminck, 1820, as a synonym of Falcunculus, with Lanius frontatus Lath. as type. I have yet to find this diagnosis by Temminck, 1820.- Neolanius
(Laniidae; syn. Lanius † Grey-backed Fiscal L. excubitoroides) Gr. νεος neos new; genus Lanius Linnaeus, 1758, shrike; "In East Africa, north of the Equator, an aberrant species occurs, which seems also to be allied to the typical Lanius, but differs therefrom in having the black feathers of the forehead (which are more extended than in Lanius) stiffened and in marked contrast to the grey feathers of the crown; the wing is more rounded than in Lanius, the first primary being nearly two-thirds (63 per cent.) of the length of the second, which is shorter than the seventh, while the fourth is longest, the third and fifth a little short of the fourth; tail feathers very broad, always much longer than the wing, although in one form only one-tenth longer but in the typical form about one-third longer; the graduation of the tail feathers is much greater than the length of the tarsus. This subgroup I should also regard as a subgenus of Lanius, under the name of NEOLANIUS, genotype Lanius excubitorius Prevost and Des Murs." (A. Roberts 1922); "Neolanius A. Roberts, 1922, Annals Transvaal Mus., VIII (4), p. 243. Type, by original designation, Lanius excubitorius Prévost and des Murs, 1847 (subsequent amendment of Lanius excubitoroides Prévost and des Murs, erroneously considered preoccupied by Lanius excubitorides Swainson, 1831) = Lanius excubitoroides Prévost and des Murs, 1847." (JAJ 2020).
- Smaragdolanius
(Vireonidae; syn. Vireolanius † Green Shrike-vireo V. pulchellus) Gr. σμαραγδος smaragdos emerald; genus Lanius Linnaeus, 1758, shrike; "SMARAGDOLANIUS, new genus GENERIC CHARACTERS.— Similar to Vireolanius Du Bus, but tail two-thirds length of wing or less; outer toe coherent to middle toe for two basal phalanges; rictal bristles inconspicuous, the longest scarcely exceeding the bristly points of the frontal feathers; bill relatively longer and narrower; coloration chiefly bright green and yellow. TYPE.— Vireolanius pulchellus Sclater and Salvin. ... In life, Smaragdolanius at least resembles other vireos in haunts and habits, but its song is a loud sweet whistle of two syllables, suggesting the call note of a pine grosbeak or lesser yellowlegs." (Griscom 1930); "Smaragdolanius Griscom, 1930, American Museum Novitates, 438, p. 3. Type, by original designation, Vireolanius pulchellus P. Sclater and Salvin, 1859." (JAJ 2022).
- Tamnolanius
(Tyrannidae; syn. Agriornis † Great Shrike Tyrant A. lividus) Gr. θαμνος thamnos bush; genus Lanius Linnaeus, 1758, shrike; "OISEAUX rares ou nouveaux ... 16. Tamnolanier genre nouveau. Type: Tamnolanius lividus, Lesson. Pitangus chilensis, Lesson, Thétis, Zool., p. 323. Tyrannus gutturalis, Eydoux, Gervais, Favorite, pl. 63. Tamnophilus lividus, Kittlitz, Acad. Pétersb., p. 465, pl. 1. - Chili et Valparaiso. 17. Tamnolanius ferrugineus, Lesson. ... Hab. Mexico" (Lesson 1839); "famille des LANIADÉES ... 9. Tamnolanius, Less., lividus, gutturalis, ferrugineus" (Lesson 1839); "Tamnolanius LESSON, Rev. Zool., 2, p. 138, May 1839—type by orig. desig. Tamnophilus lividus KITTLITZ." (Hellmayr, 1927, Cat. Birds Americas, Pt. V, p. 1).
Var. Thamnolanius.- Tephrolanius
(Vangidae; syn. Tephrodornis † Large Woodshrike T. virgatus) Gr. τεφρος tephros ash-coloured < τεφρα tephra ashes; genus Lanius Linnaeus, 1758, shrike; "c'est, au reste, un heureux démembrement du groupe indigeste Tephrodornis, Sw., lequel, outre les Laniides, avant d'être rectifié, contenait parmi ses espèces, bien que si limitées, des MUSCICAPIDES, des TURDIDES, etc., sans parler d'un Oiseau que je rapproche des ARTAMIDES, sous le nom générique de Tephrolanius. C'est le Lanius gularis, Raffles, ou L. virgatus, Temm., Pl. col. 256, 1, de Java." (Bonaparte 1854); "Tephrolanius Bonaparte, 1854, Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci. Paris, XXXVIII, p. 536. Type, by monotypy, Lanius virgatus Temminck, 1824." (JAJ 2021).
- VIREOLANIUS
(Vireonidae; Ϯ Chestnut-sided Shrike-vireo V. melitophrys) Compound of genera Vireo Vieillot, 1808, vireo, and Lanius Linnaeus, 1758, shrike; "Plumage loose-webbed, silky ... Bill rather stout, hooked" (Van Tyne & Berger 1965); “VIREOLANIUS MELITOPHRYS.” (Dubus de Ghisignies, 1850, Esquisses Ornithologiques, livr. 5, pl. 26); "*710. Vireolanius, Dubus. (Cycloris, p. Caban.) Mexico. 1. *V. melitophrys, Dubus. (Lanius chrysophrys, Licht.) Esq. Orn. 1850. t. 26. Mus. Brux. ex Berol. ex Mexic." (Bonaparte 1850); "Vireolanius Bonaparte (ex Du Bus MS), 1851?, Consp. Avium, 1 (1850), p. 330. Type, by monotypy, Vireolanius melitophrys Bonaparte." (Blake in Peters, 1968, XIV, p. 108).
Synon. Smaragdolanius.
