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Tanagra tatao Linnaeus, 1766. (1 Viewer)

J

James Jobling

Well-known member
England
Tanagra tatao Linnaeus, 1766, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, I, p. 315. This name is now generally regarded as unidentifiable because of its ambiguous references (see Hellmayr 1936, Cat. Bds. Americas, Pt. IX, p. 82). The specific name is derived from "Avicula de Tatao" of Seba 1734 (?1735), Locupletissimi rerum naturalium thesauri accurata descriptio, I, p. 96, and plate LX, fig. 6, identifiable as Tangara punctata. Seba's bird was supposedly from Mexico, although its current distribution is the Guianas. I have assumed that "Tatao" refers to a place or area of Mexico, but it could be a substantive name, and I would welcome suggestions as to the origin of this specific name.
 
With such a colourful (richly adorned/decorated) species I wouldn't be surprised if tatao has the same origin as tattoo (as in having a tattoo, tattooing). Cook apparently wrote the polynesian word for tattoo, as tattow (unverified by me), which is said to originate in tatau, tatu (sign, painting), a k a tatao (Polynesia).

The Swedish word for having a tattoo is tatuerad (of the same Origin). This word tatuera, tatuerad, tatuering (tattaving 1776, tatouera 1810) has earlier also been equal to simply "paint", as in putting on a make-up (1811).

But if it truly has anything to do with this South American bird ... who knows?

If Seba knew of of this word is equally unknown to me. I know nothing of the history of tattoo in Dutch. Or in Latin?

Either way, the above is just a long-shot, a quick guess, a pure fancy ... possibly of no value what-so-ever.

I will give it a (more thorough) try later on.

Björn

PS. James, you have "... "Avicula de Tatao" of Seba 1735; ..." in the entry for TANGARA ;)
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• "[Tanagra] Tatao" LINNAEUS 1766 (here), gives us the following references:

  1. "Tangara brasiliensis", which leads to Markgraf's/Marcrave's "TANGARA Brasiliensibus", from 1648; here (pp.214-215).
  2. Willughby's "Tangara Brasiliensibus", from 1676; here.
  3. Ray's ditto, from 1713; here.
  4. "Parus paradisiacus" takes us to: Edwards's "The Titmouse of Paradise", (text here, Plate 349, here), from 1764.
  5. "Tangara" = Brisson's "Le Tangara", from 1760 (here).
  6. ... and the last one; Seba's (1734) "Avicula de Tatao" Tab. [Tabula/Plate] 60, f. [figura/figure] 6 (here), text; here.

Also note what's written below, regarding Brisson's Work:
We must not with Brisson range the Talao [sic] with this species; for the description given by Seba is not at all applicable to it: “The Talao,” [sic] says Seba “ has its plumage beautifully variegated with pale green, with black, with yellow, and with white; the feathers of the head and breat are finely shaded with pale green and with black; and the bill, the legs, and the toes, are deep black. ” Besides, what demonstratively proves it to be not the same bird, the author adds, that it is very rare in Mexico; whereas the Paradise Tanagres we have seen arrive there in very great numbers.

[by de Buffon, translated into English, 1793, from here]​
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Also see; here.

If of any help?

This far I cannot tell the Origin of tatao. Sorry.

Good luck cracking it!

Björn

PS. At least it has nothing to do with the Bacteria Ramlibacter tataouinensis HEULIN et al. 2003: "N.L. masc. adj. tataouinensis pertaining to Tataouine, Tunisia" ;)
 
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Maybe here a hint? For me personally it would somehow fit to a bird, but Tonga is far away from this bird.

Neben Porstu (woher die Geister aus Wolken kamen) bildete Epoouri den Götterhimmel, (auf Wallis), und die Taura und Atua wurden (als Priester und Priesterinnen) durch Herabsteigen der Gottheit begeistert (s. Bataillon). In dem Tatao genannten Zauber wurden dem Feinde gehörige Gegenstände in einem Tempel oder der Capelle des Hausgottes, sowie auch im Grabe eines angesehenen Verwandten eingescharrt (auf Tonga)....
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No idea about Cora language a I found without having seen the full text in here.

Andere haben wieder kleine, nicht als Regel auf- tretende Unterschiede wie tatoa, ta-, tu-, wa- usw. dalassen...
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My two pennies.

Albertus Seba is of Dutch origin, so specimens are most likely from Surinam. A Dutch colony by then.

What was suggested by Bjorn, Cook origin, it would last a few years after Linnaeus description before Cook sailed the Seas, so no connection with Cook. Tonga was discovered (few Dutch ships docked here in 1616 and 1643), but surely no specimens were take back (at least not known to me), nor did they survive a trip like this, due to preservation skills (the lack off).
 
Martin and Justin, I wasn´t thinking of specimens/birds brought back neither by Cook, nor from Polynesia, but the word itself, if it possibly could have reached a Dutch ear pre-Linnaeus. As in possibly picked up by Linnaeus during his years in Holland (1735–1738) ...

As tattoos have been found in Europe way before Seba, the custom of tattooing was surely known, but if such an interpretation (and such a wording, or similar) was applicable for a guy using Dutch or Latin, in that Era... is way, way beyond my knowledge.

That was what I tried to write. Sorry for not being comprehensible.

/B
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I think we can forget about my tatao/tattoo hunch ...

If we look at the Index to the Plates in Seba's Locupletissimi rerum naturalium thesauri accurata descriptio, ... (here), the same work as where this name appeared, it does look like Tatao is/was a local name for the bird in question. Compare with other names on the same page; Brasilian, Mexican, Japanese, etc., etc..

As of now I think tatao most likely origins from the Dutch Colony Nederlands Guiana (De wilde kust, a k a "the Wild Coast") of NE South America.

Sorry for the unwarranted detour.

Björn
 
I don´t see any reason to believe the name tatao having originated in Mexico, nor any similaries to any other clearly (Mexican) names listed by Seba.

What part in Seba's text indicate it (No. 6) being from Mexico?
 
Calalp said:
I don´t see any reason to believe the name tatao having originated in Mexico, nor any similaries to any other clearly (Mexican) names listed by Seba.

What part in Seba's text indicate it (No. 6) being from Mexico?
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In the link to your Index.

Tab LX:

6. Avicola de Tatao, Mexicana, variis coloribus picata.
Petit Oiseauax Tatao, peint de diverses couleures.
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Also on p. 96:
  • In Latin: "Mexicana haec avicula, admodum rara, [etc.]"
  • In French: "Ce petit oiseau du Mexique est extrêmement rare."
 
That much I got, guys (even with my rudimentary understanding of Latin ;)), but what I meant was, were there any (out-spoken) part, about the name itself being from Mexico. Similar to No. 7-8. And quite a few others ...

Either way; also see the same Index, in the other volume 1 in BHL (here, where the text is translated into Dutch):
Mexikaansch vogeltje, Tatao, met verscheide verwen getekent.
Click to expand...
And, for completeness sake, also listed in volume 3 (here and here). If any clearer?

I'm done, on this one. Good luck finding its Origin.

/B
 
Apparently hard to let go of this one ... ;)

Thereby, a quick return to the Spotted Tanager Tangara punctata ... the one Seba called Avicola de Tatao (Little bird Tatao), from Mexico, where it supposedly was extremely rare (no wonder!, as it belongs in NE South America*) ...

As "[Tanagra] Tatao" LINNAEUS 1766 clearly was confused (with ambiguous and contradictory references) I wonder if we shouldn't try to find a local (possibly Créole?) name for today's Paradise Tanager subspecies Tangara chilensis paradisea SWAINSON 1837, here, as "A. [Aglaïa] paradisea", from the same area. The only reference for this subspecies was/is "Pl. Enl. 127. f.1" (here); "Tangara du Brésil"

The any other option (in my mind) has to be to find a local Mexican name, like Tatao alt. Tatão, or a similar version, for a (any?) Tanager, in one of the many, many (!) local Mexican (ingenuous) languages (as of here).

Quite a challenge!

To me (for what its worth) the "Dos-Rouge" (as in post #8) seems to be the Crimson-backed Tanager Ramphocelus dimidiatus (in French: Tangara à dos rouge).

Also see; here.

Good luck, James!

/B
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*HBW, Nominate ssp: "S Venezuela (S of R Orinoco), the Guianas, and N Brazil (R Negro E to Amapá and, S of Amazon, in Pará; sight record from S Amazonas); recently found in extreme SE Colombia."
 
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