Falco aquilinus 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 : 400

17. Buffon’s “Petit Aigle d’Amérique” (full species)

17.1. Linnaeus (1758): not considered.

17.2. Brisson (1759a): not considered.

17.3. Linnaeus (1766): not considered.

17.4. Buffon in Buffon & Guéneau de Montbeillard (1771a: 142), quarto edition; (1771b: 110-111, PE 417), folio edition: “ PETIT AIGLE D’ AMÉRIQUE ”.

PE 417. — “Aigle d’Amerique” (published in March 1770). See Figure 4.

OBSERVATION. — Direct observation of an unknown specimen, seemingly mounted, probably sent from French Guiana. Buffon did not specify if the specimen belonged to the Royal Cabinet or to another collection. According to Mauduyt de La Varenne (1783: 474), this bird “has often been sent from [French] Guiana ”, which suggests that it was rather common in Parisian cabinets.

REFERENCES. — None (new species).

DISTRIBUTION. — Cayenne and “other parts of South America”.

IDENTIFICATIONS PROPOSED BY LATER AUTHORS FOR PE 417. — Boddaert (1783: 25): Latham (1781: 97 no. 82, “Red-throated Falcon”; refers to Buffon); Boddaert assigns this bird to the Linnaean genus “ Falco ” (G42) and names it “ Falco americanus ” (available and valid name: see below).

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

Temminck (1839: 2): “Caracara à gorge nue ou Rancanca”; “ Falco aquilinus . Linn.”

Gray (1849: 33): “ Ibycter americanus ”.

MODERN IDENTIFICATION. — * Ibycter americanus ( Boddaert, 1783) , according to the plate and the description; the (lost) illustrated specimen is the holotype.

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

17.5. Gmelin (1788: 280): “ FALCO AQUILINUS ” G42, S110, order “ Accipitres ”. REFERENCES. — Buffon & Guéneau de Montbeillard (1771a: 142) and PE 417; Latham (1781: 97 no. 82, based on Buffon).

DISTRIBUTION. — South America.

MODERN IDENTIFICATION. — * Ibycter americanus ( Boddaert, 1783) .

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

a junior synonym of Falco americanus Boddaert, 1783 .

Figures

FIG. 4. — Planche enluminée 417:“Aigle d’Amérique”,by Martinet, in Buffon & Guéneau de Montbeillard (1771b). The represented (lost) specimen is the holotype of Falco americanus Boddaert, 1783. Credits: Musée Buffon, Montbard.