Samoan Whistler

Samoan Whistler / Pachycephala flavifrons

Samoan Whistler

Here the details of the Samoan Whistler named bird below:

SCI Name:  Pachycephala flavifrons
Protonym:  Eopsaltria flavifrons U.S.Expl.Exped. 8 p.96
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Pachycephalidae /
Taxonomy Code:  samwhi1
Type Locality:  Upolu, Samoa.
Author:  
Publish Year:  1848
IUCN Status:  

DEFINITIONS

PACHYCEPHALA
(Pachycephalidae; Ϯ Golden Whistler P. pectoralis) Gr. παχυς pakhus  large, thick; κεφαλη kephalē  head; from the appearance of their large rounded heads the Indomalayan and Australasian whistlers were formerly known as 'thickheads'; "The interval betweeen the present groups and those of the Pari, where we entered on the family [Pipridæ], appears to be filled up by a race of birds peculiar to New Holland, and hitherto uncharacterized, of which the Muscicapa pectoralis, Lath. is the type*. These, uniting many external characters, at least, both of the Berry-Eaters and Flycatchers, exhibit also in general appearance a considerable resemblance to the Pari, and will be found, I conjecture, to be the connecting bond between all these groups.  ...  * Mr. Swainson has lately formed this group into a genus by the name of Pachycephala.  Nov. 1824." (Vigors 1825); "Genus. PACHYCEPHALA*. Swains. MSS.  ... Caput tumidiusculum.  ...  In their general appearance some of the species exhibit a resemblance to the birds of the genus Procnias, Ill., while by the puffed-out appearance of the feathers about the head, we trace an approximation to some of the Linnean Pari.  ...  * παχυς crassus, and κεφαλη caput" (Vigors & Horsfield 1827). 
Var. Pachycephalus
Synon. Alisterornis, Gilbertornis, Hylocharis, Hyloterpe, Lewinornis, Malacolestes, Mattingleya, Musciterpe, Muscitrea, Mutevodia, Pachycilodryas, Psaltricephus, Pucherania, Timixos.

flavifrons
L. flavus  yellow, golden-yellow; frons, frontis  forehead, brow.
● ex “Carpintero vientre roxo” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 255 (Melanerpes).
● ex "Barbu à Front d'Or" of Levaillant 1806 (Psilopogon).
● ex “Yellow-fronted Warbler” of Latham 1783, and Pennant 1785 (syn. Vermivora chrysoptera).
● ex “Yellow-fronted Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (Zosterops).
● ex “Yellow-fronted Honey-sucker” of Pennant 1773, and “Yellow-fronted Humming-bird” of Latham 1782 (unident.).