ElChivizcoyo
Active member
Where is the description of Numenius americanus?
Hello! first of all, apologies for my bad english
I was looking for the original description of Numenius americanus (Long-billed Curlew) and I found what I think are some problems with the original description of this bird.
Initially I found that N. americanus was described in 1812 by Bechstein, and the type locality was New York, these data appeared both in the HBW species account and in Avibase species account
https://www.hbw.com/species/long-billed-curlew-numenius-americanus
https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?lang=ES&avibaseid=5284C27B1DE872F2&sec=summary
Also, neither in Avibase or HBW is stablished that N. americanus could have a protonym, but when I looked for the original description in "Johann Lathams allgemeine Uebersicht der Vögel" page 432. there is nothing about a bird named Numenius americanus, even when in that page are other Numenius descriptions.
I cannot read german and I tried several times translating, but I am pretty sure that Numenius americanus is not described there (at least as a member of the genus Numenius)
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/235032#page/214/mode/1up
So I tried to track posterior mentions about the species and I found this 1824 document where the name Numenius americanus is associated as synonym for two birds what I think are Wood Stork and an Ibis (pages 141 and 150) also the author is the same (Latham)
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/104532#page/178/mode/1up
Then, in 1918 (more than 100 years from the original description!!) Oberholser wrote this article called "Notes on the Subspecies of Numenius americanus Bechstein" where is established the type locality and the reference for the original description, that is exactly the same book and the same page that I found at first in Avibase and HBW!!
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15934815#page/252/mode/1up
So, for me, there are two important questions
Where and when was published the original description of this bird?
and, if it exist with a protonym instead of the actual name
Which was this protonym?
I would appreciate if someone of you help me to clarify this mistery
Thank you in advance!!
Hello! first of all, apologies for my bad english
I was looking for the original description of Numenius americanus (Long-billed Curlew) and I found what I think are some problems with the original description of this bird.
Initially I found that N. americanus was described in 1812 by Bechstein, and the type locality was New York, these data appeared both in the HBW species account and in Avibase species account
https://www.hbw.com/species/long-billed-curlew-numenius-americanus
https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?lang=ES&avibaseid=5284C27B1DE872F2&sec=summary
Also, neither in Avibase or HBW is stablished that N. americanus could have a protonym, but when I looked for the original description in "Johann Lathams allgemeine Uebersicht der Vögel" page 432. there is nothing about a bird named Numenius americanus, even when in that page are other Numenius descriptions.
I cannot read german and I tried several times translating, but I am pretty sure that Numenius americanus is not described there (at least as a member of the genus Numenius)
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/235032#page/214/mode/1up
So I tried to track posterior mentions about the species and I found this 1824 document where the name Numenius americanus is associated as synonym for two birds what I think are Wood Stork and an Ibis (pages 141 and 150) also the author is the same (Latham)
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/104532#page/178/mode/1up
Then, in 1918 (more than 100 years from the original description!!) Oberholser wrote this article called "Notes on the Subspecies of Numenius americanus Bechstein" where is established the type locality and the reference for the original description, that is exactly the same book and the same page that I found at first in Avibase and HBW!!
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15934815#page/252/mode/1up
So, for me, there are two important questions
Where and when was published the original description of this bird?
and, if it exist with a protonym instead of the actual name
Which was this protonym?
I would appreciate if someone of you help me to clarify this mistery
Thank you in advance!!