The Key to Scientific Names

Edited by James A. Jobling
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cordifera

L. cor, cordis  heart; -fera  bearing  < ferre to carry; alluding to the shape of the frontal plate (Jan van der Brugge in litt.) (syn. Jacana spinosa).


crumenifer / crumenifera / crumeniferus

Mod. L. crumenifera  pouch-bearing  < L. crumena  leather money-pouch carried around the neck, purse; -fera  -carrying  < ferre  to bear.


DORYFERA

(Trochilidae; Ϯ Green-fronted Lancebill D. ludoviciae) Gr. δορυ doru, δορατος doratos  spear; φερω pherō  to carry (cf. Med. L. doriferus  spearman  < Gr. δορυ doru  spear; L. -fera  carrying  < ferre  to carry); "DORYFERA, gen. nov.   Char. gen.— Rostrum forte, ad tertiam partem apicalem, quæ sursum curvatur, rectum.  Alæ subgrandes.  Cauda rotundata, subrigida, rectricibus singulis mucronatis.  Tarsi aliqua parte vestiti.  Pedes magnitudini mediocri.  Digitus et unguis postico digito et ungui medio longitudine æquales.   ...   The species are —  Trochilus (Doryfera) Louise.   TROCHILUS (DORYFERA) VIOLIFRONS." (Gould 1847); "Doryfera Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, pt. 15, 1847, p. 95. Type, by subsequent designation, [Trochilus (Doryfera) Louise =] Trochilus ludovicae Bourcier and Mulsant. (Gray, Cat. Gen. Subgen. Bds., 1855, p. 22.)   ...   Replaces Hemistephania Reichenbach, 1854, of Sharpe's Hand-list. Doryfera Gould is not preoccupied by Doryphora Illiger, 1809 [Coleoptera]." (Peters, 1945, V, p. 3).
Var. Dorifera, Doryphora ("Von δορυ (Spiess) und φερω (tragen)" (Cabanis & Heine 1860)).
Synon. Hemistephania.


ensifera

L. ensifera  sword-bearing  < ensis  sword; -fera  -bearing  < ferre to bear.


ENSIFERA

(Trochilidae; Ϯ Sword-billed Hummingbird E. ensifera) Specific name Ornismya ensifera Boissonneau, 1839; "les ESPADONS, ensifera, Lesson.  Bec excessivement long, cylindrique; queue fourchue; ailes robustes.  (Pl. 14 et 15).—  Ois. m. espadon, ornismya ensifera, Boiss., Rev. zool., 1839, p. 354: trochilus derbianus, Fraser, proceed., 1840, p. 16.   T. rostro recurvo, quoad longitudinem, corpus cum capite æquiparante; cauda mediocri, paululum furcata; colore viridi, corpore subtus albido variegato; gula nigrescente.   Cet oiseau mouche par la longueur démesurée de son bec qui simule un long espadon, est une des espèces les plus curieuses que l'on puisse signaler. Il vit à Santa Fé-de-Bogota, et nul doute qu'il n'atteigne sa nourriture dans les longues cloches des fleurs des bignonia.  ...  Ce bec est gigantesque, cylindrique ou légèrement comprimé sur les côtés, légèrement infléchi vers en haut et disproportionné avec la taille de l'oiseau. Son plumage est vert émeraude à reflets un peu cuivrés." (Lesson 1843); "Ensifera Lesson, Écho du Monde Savant, 1843, col. 734. Type, by monotypy, Ornismya ensifera Boissoneau." (Peters, 1945, V, p. 103).   
Synon. Docimastes.


fera

L. ferus  wild, savage, rough, untamed.


filifera / filiferus

Mod. L. filiferus  thread-bearing  < L. filum, fili  thread; -ferus  bearing  < ferre  to bear.
• "Sp. 11.  Hi? filifera.   HI. vertice nucha colloque superne rufis; corpore supra cærulescente, subtus alba, alis caudaque nigris; rectricibus, duabus mediis exceptis, macula alba, externis utrinque longissimis filiformibus.  ...  Wire-tailed Swallow.  Lath. Gen. Hist. vii. 309. pl. cxlii." (Stephens 1825) (subsp. Hirundo smithii).


flabellifera / flabelliferus

L. flabellifera  fan-bearer  < flabellum  small fan  < dim. flabra   breezes  < flare  to blow; -fera  -bearing  < ferre  to carry.
● ex “Fan-tailed Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (syn. Rhipidura fuliginosa).
● ex “Gros-becs appellés queue en éventail de Virginie” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 380 (erroneous TL. Virginia = Brazil) (unident; ?syn. Sporophila sp.).


flammifer / flammifera

L. flammifer  flame-bearing, fiery  < flamma  flame  < flagrare  to burn; -fera  -bearing  < ferre  to carry.


furcifer / furcifera

L. furcifer  fork carrier  < furca  two-pronged fork  < ferre  to tend; -fera  -bearing  < ferre to carry.
● ex “Pica flores cola de tixera” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 299 (Heliomaster).
● ex “Ibiyau cola de tixera” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 309 (subsp. Hydropsalis torquata).


Globicifera (See: Globicera)
Globicera

(Columbidae; syn. Ducula Pacific Imperial Pigeon D. pacifica) Specific name Columba globicera Wagler, 1829 (= syn. Ducula pacifica); "Notre premier genre est GLOBICERA, Bp., dont les mâles, au moins dans le temps des amours, le plus souvent les deux sexes durant toute l'année, portent sur la base du bec un tubercule charnu plus ou moins turgescent.   .. » 1. C. pacifica, Gm. (globicera, Wagl.), figurée sous le nom de C. ænea sur la Pl. 29 du Voyage de l'Uranie" (Bonaparte 1855); "*28. Globicera, Bp. (Carpophaga, partim, Gr.)  Cera carnosa, globosa, ante frontem erecta, nuptiarum tempore, in mare saltem, tugescens.    As. m. et Oc. 9.   1. COLUMBA pacifica, Gm.   ...   2. COLUMBA forsteri, Wagl.   ...   3. COLUMBA oceanica, Less.   ...   *4. CARPOPHAGA microcera, Bp. in litt.   ...   5. COLUMBA myristicivora, Scopoli.   ...   *6. CARPOPHAGA tarrali, Bp. in litteris.   ...   *7. CARPOPHAGA rubricera, Gr.   ...   *8. G. sundevalli, Bp.   ...   9. C. aurorae, Peale." (Bonaparte 1855); "Globicera Bonaparte, Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci. Paris, vol. xxxix. p. 1072, Dec. 11th, 1854.  Type (by tautonymy): Columba globicera Wagler = Columba pacifica Gmelin." (Mathews, 1927, Syst. Av. Austral., I, p. 44).
Var. Globicifera.


globifer / globifera

Mod. L. globifer  ball-carrying, globe-carrying  < L. globus  ball; -fera  -bearing  < ferre  to carry.


Houppifera (See: Houppifer)
Houppifer

(Phasianidae; syn. Lophura Malayan Crestless Fireback L. erythrophthalma) French houppe  tuft, crest; L. -fer  carrying  < ferre  to carry; "Les HOUPPIFÈRES. Tem.  Ont avec les joues nues communes à tout ce genre la queue verticale et les couvertures arquées propres aux coqs, des plumes qui peuvent se redresser et former sur leur tête une aigrette analogue à celle du paon.  ...  Phasianus Ignitus, Sh. Nat. Misc. 321" (Cuvier 1816); "[Oiseaux. Pl. 43.]  ...  2. Houppifer Diardi. Gal.e du Mus.   3. Tête de Houppifer ignitus. Sch. Cuv. 1. 479" (Guérin-Ménéville 1844); "Houppifer Guérin-Méneville, Icon. Règne Anim., 1829-1844 (1844), Ois., p. 26. Type, by subsequent designation, Houppifer diardii Guérin-Méneville = Phasianus erythropthalmus Raffles. (Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., 22, 1893, p. 283.)" (Peters, 1934, II, p. 116).
Var. HouppiferaHouppifere, Houppiferus.


ignifera / igniferum / igniferus

L. ignifer  fire-bearing  < ignis  fire; -fera  -bearing  < ferre  to carry.


Lophofera

(Phasianidae; syn. Lophophorus Himalayan Monal L. impejanus) Gr. λοφος lophos  crest; L. -fera  -carrying  < ferre  to carry; "Cheeks naked.   4. LOPHURA.  Tail vertical, with the middle feather arched.  Phasianus ignitus.     5. LOPHOFERA.  Tail horizontal.  Phasianus Impyanus." (Fleming 1822); "Lophofera Fleming, 1822, Philosophy of Zoology, II, p. 230.  Type, by monotypy, Phasianus impyanus, i.e. Phasianus impejanus Latham, 1790." (JAJ 2021) (see Lophura).


margaritifera / margaritiferus

L. margaritifer  pearl-bearing, containing pearls  < margarita  pearl  < Gr. μαργαριτης margaritēs  pearl; -fera  -bearing  < ferre to carry.


mortifera

L. mortifer or mortiferus  death-dealing, deadly, fatal  < mors, mortis  death  < mori  to die; ferre  to bring, to carry.


Nyctivociferator

(Caprimulgidae; syn. Caprimulgus European Nightjar C. europaeus) Gr. νυκτι- nukti-  night-  < νυξ nux, νυκτος nuktos  night; L. vociferator, vociferatoris  shouter  < vociferari  to shout  < vox, vocis  voice; ferre  to carry (cf. genus Vociferator W.H.H., 1834, nightjar); "In relation to the name of the species which  visits Britain, a correspondent has recently asked as follows: - "Would not the name Nyctivociferator europæus be preferable to Caprimulgus europæus L., or to Nyctichelidon europæus Rennie?  All the kinds of the genus 'Caprimulgus' are addicted to screeching: some in the night. - W.H.Y. [= W.H.H.] Sept. 10. 1834." As we suspect that our correspondent's proposed generic name of seven syllables, the first two Greek, the rest Latin, will scarcely be well received, we may state that he had previously proposed, in a communication, dated July 5., "Vociferator europæus," as the name of the nightjar which visits Britain. "Vociferator," as a generic name, is free from the literary objections to which "Nyctivociferator" is subject.  ...  So impossible is it to construct generic names that will express the peculiarities of the species they represent, that I quite agree with those who think a good unmeaning name by far the best that can be contrived" (W. H. H. in Loudon (ed.) 1834); "Nyctivociferator W. H. Y. in Loudon's Mag. of Nat. Hist. vol. iii. p. 636, Dec. 1834: substitute name for Caprimulgus L." (Mathews, 1927, Syst. Av. Austral., I, p. 395).


plumifer / plumifera / plumiferus

L. plumifer  bearing soft feathers or plumes  < pluma  plume; -ferus
-bearing  < ferre  to bear.


rostrifera

L. rostrum  beak; -fera  -bearing  < ferre  to carry.


setifer / setifera / setiferum

L. saeta or seta  bristle; -fera  -bearing  < ferre  to carry.


sigillifer / sigillifera

L. sigilla  image, mark  < dim. signum  mark, sign; -fera  -bearing  < ferre  to carry.


speculifer / speculifera / speculiferum / speculiferus

Mod. L. speculifer  bearing mirrors  < L. speculum, speculi  mirror  < specere  to look at; -fera  -bearing  < ferre  to bear.


spicifer / spicifera / spiciferum

L. spicifer  spike-bearing  < spica  spike, point; -fera  bearing  < ferre  to carry (cf. spicifer wearing ears of corn).


squamifer / squamifera

L. squamifer  scale-bearing, scaly  < squama  scale; -fera  bearing  < ferre  to carry.


sulphurifera / sulphuriferus

L. sulphur, sulphuris  sulphur; -fer  bearing  < ferre  to carry.


velocifera

L. velox, velocis  speedy, rapid; ferre  to carry.


vociferans

L. vociferans, vociferantis  shouting  < vociferari  to shout  < vox, vocis  voice, cry; ferre  to carry.
● ex “Chachalacametl” of Hernandez 1651, and Ray 1713, “Chacamel” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Crying Curassaw” of Latham 1783 (unident.; ?Ortalis sp.).


Vociferator

(Caprimulgidae; syn. Caprimulgus European Nightjar C. europaeus) L. vociferator, vociferatoris  shouter  < vociferari  to shout  < vox, vocis  voice; ferre  to carry (see Nyctivociferator); "Vociferator W. H. Y., in Loudon, 1834, Mag. of Nat. Hist., III,  p. 636.  New name for Caprimulgus Linnaeus, 1758, considered misleading." (JAJ 2020).


volifera (See: violifer)
violifer

L. viola  violet; -fer  carrying  < ferre  to carry.


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