Mirafra hypermetra gallarum Hartert, 1907

LeCROY, M. A. R. Y., 2003, TYPE SPECIMENS OF BIRDS IN THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY. PART 5. PASSERIFORMES: ALAUDIDAE, HIRUNDINIDAE, MOTACILLIDAE, CAMPEPHAGIDAE, PYCNONOTIDAE, IRENIDAE, LANIIDAE, VANGIDAE, BOMBYCILLIDAE, DULIDAE, CINCLIDAE, TROGLODYTIDAE, AND MIMIDAE, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 278 (278), pp. 1-156 : 7-8

Mirafra hypermetra gallarum Hartert

Mirafra hypermetra gallarum Hartert, 1907b: 84 (Bouta

[sic], Hawash Valley). Now Mirafra hypermetra gallarum Hartert, 1907 . See

Keith et al., 1992: 24.

HOLOTYPE: AMNH 556946 , male, collected at Bonta , Awash River, Ethiopia, on 7 (not 2) June

1903, by P.C. Zaphiro (no. 2603). From the Rothschild Collection.

COMMENTS: Zaphiro’s number was given in the original description. Paratypes are AMNH 556947– 556956.

The holotype was first labeled Bilen, which was marked out and Bouta or Bonta written in, presumably by Zaphiro. The handwriting is difficult to interpret. One of the paratypes was collected at Bilen (= Unda Bilen, 09°28′N, 40°19′E, on the Awash River) on 6 June 1903, and Bonta Meˉda is at 09°25′N, 40°15′E (USBGN, Gazetteer of Ethiopia 1982). Thus, it seems that Bonta is the correct interpretation of the collecting locality of this holotype.

Mirafra africana tropicalis Hartert Mirafra africana tropicalis Hartert, 1900: 45 (Tropical

East Africa to Lake districts and Uganda).

Now Mirafra africana tropicalis Hartert, 1900 . See

Keith et al., 1992: 23.

LECTOTYPE: AMNH 556679 , adult male, collected at Bukoba , 01°20′S, 31°49′E (Times Atlas), Lake Victoria, Tanzania, on 6 April 1892, by Dr. F. Stuhlmann. From the Rothschild Collection.

COMMENTS: Hartert (1900: 45), in describing this taxon, gave the range as above, but did not designate a type or say how many specimens he examined. Hartert (1919: 164) later designated the above specimen the lectotype.

Mirafra africana athi Hartert

Mirafra africana athi Hartert, 1900: 46 (Athi Plain, British East Africa).

Now Mirafra africana athi Hartert, 1900 . See Keith et al., 1992: 23.

LECTOTYPE: AMNH 556741 , adult male, collected on 25 January 1899, on Athi Plain, 01°15′S ‾ 01°35′S, 36°43′E – 37°10′E ( Chapin, 1954: 642), Kenya, by Dr. William John Ansorge (no. 20). From the Rothschild Collection.

COMMENTS: No type was designated in the original description, with Hartert (1919: 164) designating the lectotype later. The original series of specimens from Athi Plain that came to AMNH consisted of one male (the lectotype) and two females (AMNH 556742 and 556743, paralectotypes). Hartert (1900: 46) noted that ‘‘A young bird, Nairobe, 31.1.1899, evidently belongs to this same form.’’ This third paralectotype is AMNH 556744.

Mirafra africana dohertyi Hartert

Mirafra africana dohertyi Hartert, 1907c: 93 (near the Escarpment Station, at elevations of 6500 feet and higher, British East Africa).

Now Mirafra africana athi Hartert, 1900 . See Peters,

1960a: 10, and Keith et al., 1992: 23.

LECTOTYPE: AMNH 556716 , adult male, collected in February 1901, at 6500 ft above the Escarpment Station of the Uganda Railroad, Kenya, by William Doherty. From the Rothschild Collection.

COMMENTS: Hartert did not designate a type in the original description. Doherty collected 10 specimens of this form, all on the Escarpment at 6500 ft and higher. Hartert (1919: 164) listed as lectotype an adult male specimen collected at 6500 ft in February 1901. There are two specimens fulfilling these criteria; however, because AMNH 556716 is the specimen with the Rothschild type label and evidently the one intended as the lectotype by Hartert, I hereby designate it the lectotype, to eliminate the possibility of misinterpreting the older literature. The paralectotypes are the nine remaining Doherty specimens, AMNH 556717–556725.

Hartert (1902d: 620) described the type locality as about halfway between Nairobi and Naivasha, on the eastern side of the Great Rift Valley and on the southern slopes of the Settima range. In October 1900 it was the terminus of the Uganda Railway. Chapin (1954: 661) gave the coordinates as 01°01′S, 36°36′E.