Towards a resolution of nomenclatural instability in the Helmeted Friarbird Philemon buceroides complex

Abstract

Summary. A trend to treat Queensland populations of Helmeted Friarbird Philemon buceroides (Swainson, 1838) sensu lato of Indonesia, Australia and Papua New Guinea as Hornbill Friarbird P. yorki Mathews, 1912, while consistent with >100 years of scientific name usage before 1975, and not without merit, has been poorly defended. Given the region's biogeography, rigorous assessment is needed of which of several taxa described from New Guinea and often treated as subspecies of P. novaeguineae (S. Müller, 1843) might be most closely related to yorki. This will be critical in establishing nomenclatural priority. Introduction of ‘Hornbill Friarbird’ evidently overlooks ‘Helmeted Friarbird’ having been associated almost exclusively with Queensland populations for >100 years. Clarifying relationships within and among Australian populations to each other and to those in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea will be a key starting point in eliminating legitimate, lingering dissatisfaction with the broader group’s taxonomy and nomenclature.