Tag Archives: Sumatra

Erpornis zantholeuca ssp. saani Chasen

Sumatran Erpornis (Erpornis zantholeuca ssp. saani)

This taxon was described in 1939; it is apparently known from a single specimen that had been obtained somewhere in north-western Sumatra, Indonesia as well as from three additional records.

The Sumatran birds differ from the other subspecies by their greenish back and a slightly darker crest.

This taxon might well be extinct now.

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The photo below shows another subspecies, the Greyish Erpornis (Erpornis zantholeuca ssp. canescensDelacour & Jabouille) which is endemic to the island of Borneo, Indonesia.

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Bornean Erpornis (Erpornis zantholeuca ssp. brunnescens)

Photo: Spark
https://www.inaturalist.org/people/sparkn
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

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edited: 24.01.2024

Bombus melanopoda (Cockerell)

Sumatran Black Bumblebee (Bombus melanopoda)

The Sumatran Black Bumblebee is known from a single specimen, a female that was collected (probably sometimes during the late 19th century) on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia.

The species has never been recorded since and might be extinct; however, it is also possible that the single existing specimen represents a melanistic individual of another species that simply has been mislabeled. [1]

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References:

[1] Paul H. Williams: An annotated checklist of bumble bees with an analysis of patterns of description (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Bombini). Bulletin of the Natural History Museum. Entomology series 67: 79-152. 1998

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edited: 25.04.2022

Cyornis ruckii (Oustalet)

Rueck’s Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis ruckii)

Rueck’s Blue Flycatcher was described in 1881, it is so far known only from four specimens, two of which were collected at around 1917 or 1918 in the lowland forests of Sumatra, Indonesia while the other two are of doubtful origin.

The species reaches a length of about 17 cm, the males are bright dark blue on the upper side and have a white belly while the females are rufous brown.

Rueck’s Blue Flycatcher has not been found since the early 20th century and is most likely extinct.

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edited: 16.05.2021