Peter Kovalik
Well-known member
R. L. Potapov. History of description of the genus Tetraogallus and designation of the type species of the subgenera Tetraogallus and Montigallus (Potapov 1991). Rus. ornitol. zhurn. 2015, 24:1133 pp 1361-1368. (Рус. орнитол. журн. 2015. Том 24. Экспресс-выпуск № 1133).
Abstract:
The paper traces the history of description of the members of the genus Tetraogallus G.E.Gray, 1833, and analyses of the species distribution and morphology (Potapov 1991). The author has agreed with V.L.Bianchii (Bianchii 1899) who was the first to separate the snowcock species into two groups based on coloration of the male’s underparts, especially belly. The first group comprised of birds with dark, blackish belly, included the nominate species, the Himalayan Snowcock T. hymalayensis, the Caucasian T. caucasicus (Pallas, 1811) and Caspian T. caspius (Gmelin, 1784) snowcocks. The second group included two other species with the prevalence of the white color in the abdomen and comprised of the Altai T. altaicus (Gebler, 1836) and Tibetan T. tibetanus (Gould, 1843) snowcocks. Unfortunately, V.L.Bianchii (1899) did not gave scientific names to the two groups, which was later done by Potapov (1991).The two groups were given a status of subgenus. The first group of dark bellied snowcocks was given the nominate genus name (as sensu stricta) and the second group of white-bellied snowcocks was given name Montigallus (subgen.nova). In this paper I present the current taxonomical order of the genus Tetraogallus, and according to the article 69.1. of «Type species by subsequent designation» (The Code, 1999), I designate the type species of the subgenera suggested earlier (Potapov 1991).
Genus Tetraogallus J.E. Gray, 1832.
Subgenus Dark-bellied Snowcock Tetraogallus subgenus sensu stricto
Type species Himalayan Snowcock T. (Tetraogallus himalayensis G.R.Gray, 1843 (1842). Type specimen – catalogue number 1880.1.1.1845, holotype. Museum Nat. Hist. London. 1. Himalayan Snowcock T. (Tetraogallus) himalayensis G.Gray, 1843.
Caucasian Snowcock T. (Tetraogallus) caucasicus (Pallas, 1811).
Caspian Snowcock T. (Tetraogallus) caspius (Gmelin, 1784).
Himalayan Snowcock T. (Tetraogallus himalayensis G.R.Gray, 1843
Subgenus White bellied Snowcock Montigallus subgen.nova Potapov 1991
Type species Tibetan Snowcock T. (Montigallus) tibetanus J.Gould, 1854.
Type-specimen – catalog number 1880.1.1.1845, holotype.
Museum Nat.Hist. London.
Altai Snowcock T. (Montigallus) altaicus (Gebler, 1836).
Tibetan Snowcock T. (Montigallus) tibetanus Gould, 1853)
Abstract:
The paper traces the history of description of the members of the genus Tetraogallus G.E.Gray, 1833, and analyses of the species distribution and morphology (Potapov 1991). The author has agreed with V.L.Bianchii (Bianchii 1899) who was the first to separate the snowcock species into two groups based on coloration of the male’s underparts, especially belly. The first group comprised of birds with dark, blackish belly, included the nominate species, the Himalayan Snowcock T. hymalayensis, the Caucasian T. caucasicus (Pallas, 1811) and Caspian T. caspius (Gmelin, 1784) snowcocks. The second group included two other species with the prevalence of the white color in the abdomen and comprised of the Altai T. altaicus (Gebler, 1836) and Tibetan T. tibetanus (Gould, 1843) snowcocks. Unfortunately, V.L.Bianchii (1899) did not gave scientific names to the two groups, which was later done by Potapov (1991).The two groups were given a status of subgenus. The first group of dark bellied snowcocks was given the nominate genus name (as sensu stricta) and the second group of white-bellied snowcocks was given name Montigallus (subgen.nova). In this paper I present the current taxonomical order of the genus Tetraogallus, and according to the article 69.1. of «Type species by subsequent designation» (The Code, 1999), I designate the type species of the subgenera suggested earlier (Potapov 1991).
Genus Tetraogallus J.E. Gray, 1832.
Subgenus Dark-bellied Snowcock Tetraogallus subgenus sensu stricto
Type species Himalayan Snowcock T. (Tetraogallus himalayensis G.R.Gray, 1843 (1842). Type specimen – catalogue number 1880.1.1.1845, holotype. Museum Nat. Hist. London. 1. Himalayan Snowcock T. (Tetraogallus) himalayensis G.Gray, 1843.
Caucasian Snowcock T. (Tetraogallus) caucasicus (Pallas, 1811).
Caspian Snowcock T. (Tetraogallus) caspius (Gmelin, 1784).
Himalayan Snowcock T. (Tetraogallus himalayensis G.R.Gray, 1843
Subgenus White bellied Snowcock Montigallus subgen.nova Potapov 1991
Type species Tibetan Snowcock T. (Montigallus) tibetanus J.Gould, 1854.
Type-specimen – catalog number 1880.1.1.1845, holotype.
Museum Nat.Hist. London.
Altai Snowcock T. (Montigallus) altaicus (Gebler, 1836).
Tibetan Snowcock T. (Montigallus) tibetanus Gould, 1853)