What is the right Latin name for the Long-tailed Tit (1 Viewer)

[Reader]

I have always thought it to be Aegithalos caudatus for Britain and all photos I have seen in the various Forums use this Latin name.

Someone asked me in another Forum what the Latin name was for the Northern Long-tailed Tit and when I read the literature up it sates that it is Aegithalos caudatus and that the British bird is in fact A. rosaceus.

If that is correct then every photo of the British L.T Tit is incorrectly named on every Forum photo I have seen.

Can someone clear this up for me please.

John

 

[Steve Lister]

A. caudatus is the scientific name for the whole species: the race is shown by the trinomial so 'British' birds are A. caudatus rosaceus and 'Northern' ones are A. caudatus caudatus.

OK John ?

PS Ring me tonight if you want the lowdown on Morocco.

 

[Reader]

Thanks Steve

That is what I thought but if that is so then every Long-tailed Tit photo in Britain should be labelled as A. caudatus rosaceus not A. caudatus. Is that correct?

I certainly do want the low down on Morocco. I wasn't sure if you were back today.

I will give you a call just after 4pm if that's ok.

John

A. caudatus is the scientific name for the whole species: the race is shown by the trinomial so 'British' birds are A. caudatus rosaceus and 'Northern' ones are A. caudatus caudatus.

OK John ?

PS Ring me tonight if you want the lowdown on Morocco.

 

[mikfoz]

The RSPB site has Aegithalos caudatus as its name so it's pretty understandable that most people would just copy/paste from there as a reliable source.

Is this binomial/trinomial mix-up a common thing with bird species if we're really getting down to brass tacks on species?

 

[lockbreeze926]

Not really - A caudatus is quite correct; it's only if you want to make a very specific distinction between different sub-species that you would need/bother to include the trinomial, which is an additional signifier, not an alternative one.

 

[Reader]

Cheers lads

I have been on the phone to Steve and he has fully explained the naming scenario.

John