Campephagidae

Oxynotus newtoni
Pollen, 1866: 278

Current name:
Coracina newtoni

Reunion Cuckoo-shrike
2 syntypes

Syntype: ZMA 592, female, Réunion, collected 31 May 1865 by F.P.L. Pollen & D.C. van Dam (coll. nr. 15); wing 99, tail 82, bill to skull 19.5, tarsus 25.2.

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Syntype: ZMA 593, male, Réunion, collected 17 Feb 1865 by Pollen & Van Dam (coll. nr. 14); wing 99, tail 81.5, bill to skull 19.0, tarsus 24.5.

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Additional information
Pollen (1866) does not specifically mention types, nor does he cite the number examined. From his descriptions it is clear that he had a series, as he had 'males' and 'females'. The birds in the ZMA still wear Pollen's original labels and were in Pollen's hands when he described the taxon. Obviously, they are syntypes. Five further syntypes, collected 4-5 Jan 1865, are in the RMNH. Some unclearity may arise from the fact that Pollen's paper with the description of the taxon in Ibis is signed "St. Denis, Réunion, 17th February, 1865" [viz, on the exact date that one of our birds was collected, and before the date of collecting of the other]. As Pollen reacted in his paper to a note of A. Newton published in the Ibis of Oct 1865, and other notes in this issue of Ibis (published Jul 1866) show dates between Dec 1865 and Jun 1866, this date is clearly a lapsus for 17 Feb 1866.
The ZMA has several other pre-1870 birds from Madagascar and neighbouring islands which may have derived from the voyage of Pollen and Van Dam (see Schlegel & Pollen 1868), e.g., a pair of Philepitta schlegeli (ZMA 80 & 81). These may also be syntypes or paratypes of the species involved, though eventually may have been collected a little later, e.g., by Van Dam in 1869 (specimens from that year are in RMNH and BMNH). As no original labels are attached, it is hard to obtain certainty about their provenance.

Measurements
As far as types in the ZMA are concerned, all measurements were taken by C.S. Roselaar, unless otherwise noted, using the methods as described in Svensson (1992) and comparable with the data published in the Handbook of Western Palearctic Birds. All are in mm, and are given to the nearest mm when taken with a ruler and to one-tenth of a mm when measured with calipers.

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For all specimens in the ZMA bird collection, search or browse the GBIF Data Portal.