The Key to Scientific Names
- leptonyx
Gr. λεπτος leptos delicate, slender; ονυξ onux, ονυχος onukhos claw, nail.
- Leptonyx
Gr. λεπτος leptos slender; ονυξ onux, ονυχος onukhos claw.
● (Thraupidae; syn. Coryphaspiza † Black-masked Finch C. melanotis) "LEPTONYX, Sw. Bill intermediate between Emberiza and Ammodramus ... Feet as in Ammodramus; but the hind claw as long as its toe. L. melanotis. Part 5. No. 100" (Swainson, 1837, Nat. Hist. Classification Birds, II, p. 290); "Leptonyx (not of Swainson, 1833) Swainson, Anim. Menag., p. 314, Dec. 31, 1837—type, by monotypy, Leptonyx melanotis Swainson = Emberizoides melanotis Temminck." (Hellmayr, 1938, Cat. Birds Americas, Pt. XI, p. 614).
● (Rhinocryptidae; syn. Pteroptochos † Moustached Turca P. megapodius) "LEPTONYX macropus Great-footed Babbler ... Feet of extraordinary size and thickness, all the anterior toes of nearly equal length; the claws long, slender, and but slightly curved. ... All the rasorial characters are strikingly displayed in this extraordinary type; which exhibits the greatest developement of the foot of any insessorial bird yet discovered. It no doubt lives entirely upon the ground; for the feet are formed precisely on the same model as those of Menura and Orthonyx" (Swainson 1833); "Leptonyx SWAINSON, Zool. Illustr., (2d ser.), 3, 1832-33, p. 117 (type by monotypy Leptonyx macropus SWAINSON [= Pteroptochos megapodius von Kittlitz und Ottendorf])". (Hellmayr, 1924, Cat. Birds Americas, Pt. III, p. 3).
Var. Leptonix, Lyptonyx.
