Falco pondicerianus J. F. Gmelin, 1788

Schmitt, Stéphane & Gouraud, Christophe, 2024, The significance of Buffon and Guéneau de Montbeillard’s Histoire naturelle des oiseaux ([1765] - 1783) in the taxonomy of birds: General presentation and correspondence between Buffon’s “ eagles ” and the species acknowledged by Linnaeus (1758, 1766), Brisson (1759 - 1762), and Gmelin (1788 - 1789), Zoosystema 46 (16), pp. 361-409 : 396

13. Buffon’s “Aigle de Pondichéry ” (full species)

13.1. Linnaeus (1758): not considered.

13.2. Brisson (1759a: 450-452, pl. XXXV, 1763a: 129-130): “ AIGLE DE PONDICHÉRY ”, “ AQUILA PONTICERIANA ”, species 15 of genus IX (“Aigle”, “ Aquila ”), order III, section 1.

OBSERVATION. — Direct observation of a specimen (apparently unique) of the collection of the abbé Jean-Thomas Aubry (1714- 1785), sent from Pondicherry ( India).

REFERENCES. — None (new species).

DISTRIBUTION. — Pondicherry.

MODERN IDENTIFICATION. — * Haliastur indus indus ( Boddaert, 1783) , according to the figure and the description; the specimen studied and illustrated by Brisson is a type, certainly the holotype since Boddaert’s “ Falco indus ” (see below) is based on Brisson’s work and on the PE 416, which certainly correspond to the same specimen.

13.3. Linnaeus (1766): not considered.

13.4. Buffon in Buffon & Guéneau de Montbeillard (1771a: 136- 137), quarto edition; (1771b: 106-107, PE 416), folio edition: “ AIGLE DE PONDICHÉRY ”.

PE 416. — “Aigle des grandes Indes” (published in March 1770). See Figure 3.

OBSERVATION. — Direct observation of the same specimen as that studied by Brisson.

REFERENCES. — Brisson (1759a: 450, pl. 35); Salerne (1767: 8), “Aigle Malabar”.

DISTRIBUTION. — “Grandes Indes” (i.e., modern India).

IDENTIFICATIONS PROPOSED BY LATER AUTHORS FOR PE 416. — Boddaert (1783: 25): Brisson (1759a: 450); Latham (1781: 41 no. 21), “ Pondicherry Eagle”; refers to Brisson and Buffon; Boddaert assigns this bird to the Linnaean genus “ Falco ” (G42) and names it “ Falco Indus ”.

Kuhl (1820: 7): “ Falco Pondicerianus L. ”

Temminck (1839: 3): “Aigle sacré”, very old; “ Falco pondicerianus . Bris.” Gray (1849: 33): “ Haliastur indus ”.

MODERN IDENTIFICATION. — * Haliastur indus indus ( Boddaert, 1783) , according to the plate and the description. The PE 416 looks like Brisson’s plate XXXV so much that it is almost certain that Brisson and Buffon studied the same (apparently unique) specimen of Aubry’s collection, which is the holotype. Salerne’s “Aigle Malabar” is the same bird (Salerne did not mention Brisson, but he certainly had the opportunity to observe Réaumur’s collection: see Stresemann [1952: 502]).

MODERN NOMENCLATURE. — Falco indus Boddaert, 1783 is an available and valid name, the protonym of the name currently in use for the species.

13.5. Gmelin (1788: 265): “ FALCO PONDICERIANUS ” G42, S71, order “ Accipitres ”. REFERENCES. — Brisson (1763a: 129); Buffon & Guéneau de Montbeillard (1771a: 136) and PE 416; Latham (1781: 41 no. 21, based on Brisson and Buffon).

DISTRIBUTION. — India.

MODERN IDENTIFICATION. — * Haliastur indus indus ( Boddaert, 1783) .

MODERN NOMENCLATURE. — Falco pondicerianus J. F. Gmelin, 1788 , is an available name,

a junior synonym of Falco indus Boddaert, 1783 .

Figures

FIG. 3. — Planche enluminée 416: “Aigle des grandes Indes”, by Martinet, in Buffon & Guéneau de Montbeillard (1771b). The represented (lost) specimen is the holotype of Falco indus Boddaert, 1783. Credits: Musée Buffon, Montbard.