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The correct family-group name for a clade of the Falconidae
Leach, 1819, the Caracaras and Spot-winged Falconet
Steven M.S. Gregory
COPYRIGHT: © 2024 Gregory. This is an article distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution Licence, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction
in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ABSTRACT: The uses of ‘Caracarini’ and ‘Polyborini’ as the name of a tribe of the Falconinae
Leach, 1819 in recent literature are not without problems regarding their status. The familygroup names based upon genera in the clade encompassing the Caracaras and the Spot-winged
Falconet identified by Griffiths et al. (2004) are examined and their availability under the ICZN
Code (1999) assessed. It is advised that Polyborus Vieillot, 1816 and Polyborinae Bonaparte, 1838
should not be used pending a submission to the ICZN to suppress them for the purposes of the
Principle of Priority, but not for the Principle of Homonymy. It is recommended that the correctname for the clade be selected using the Principle of Priority from those available, Article 23.1
(ICZN, 1999: 24), which would be Ibycterini Bonaparte, 1854.
KEYWORDS: Caracara, Polyborus, Ibycter, Daptrius, Spiziapteryx, Caracarinae, Polyborinae,
Ibycterini, Daptriinae, Spiziapteryginae, Merrem, Wetmore, Vieillot, Bonaparte, Hellmayr,
Conover, Kaup, Martorelli, International Code of Zoological Nomenclature.
ZOOBANK LSID for publication: 87E63F07-F6D7-4616-9BC5-31EA1E004E44
INTRODUCTION

Using a phylogenetic analysis of the nuclear gene RAG-1, the Caracaras, a closely relatedgroup of genera from the southern Nearctic and Neotropical regions, were shown to be a tribeof the nominotypical subfamily, Falconinae Leach, 1819, together with the Spot-winged
Falconet in the monotypic Spiziapteryx Kaup, 1852, by Griffiths et al. (2004). This was labelled‘Caracarini’, without author or date, throughout their paper, but this name was identified by
Bock (1994: 129, 133) as having been replaced under Article 40 (a) of the then current (third)
edition of the ICZN Code (ICZN, 1985: 81), although this would appear to be a typographicalerror for ’Article 40 (b)’. The name Bock had presumed to have ‘won general acceptance’ was‘Polyborini’, but the generic name upon which it is based had by then been shown to be anomen dubium by Banks and Dove (1992).
The family-group names based upon the genera included in the taxon ‘Caracarini’
identified by Griffiths et al. (2004) are here examined in detail, and their availability assessed:
CARACARA MERREM, 1826

The use of ‘Caracaridae’ by d’Orbigny (1835: 44) was based on the vernacular name“Caracara” Cuvier, 1816 and therefore failed to meet the criteria of availability as required by
Article 11.7.1.1 (ICZN, 1999: 12) i.e., ‘formed from the stem of an available name’, nor is it anindication for the purposes of Article 12.2.4 (ICZN, 1999: 16) i.e., ‘formation of a family-groupname from an available generic name’. The family names used by d’Orbigny in the tables in
Voyage dans l'Amérique Méridionale (d’Orbigny, 1835: 14) and Observations on the Raptores ofSouth America (d’Orbigny, 1837: 359) were purely vernacular. d’Orbigny’s use again as

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Avian Systematics 2024 2 (V): N27–N32‘Caracarideæ’ in 1839 (d’Orbigny, 1839: 26) was based on “Caracara” Marcgrave, “Carácará”
Azara, and “Caracara” Willughby, vernacular and pre-Linnean names. The use of Caracara
Merrem, 1826, given as the type genus by Bock (1994: 133), did not occur regularly until
Hellmayr and Conover (1949: 281) questioned the validity of Polyborus Vieillot, 1816, and used
it preferentially.
Caracara Merrem, 1826 was made available by publication in Ersch & Gruber’s Allgemeine
Encyclopädie der Wissenschaften und Künste (Merrem, 1826: 159) with originally included
nominal species, from which the type was selected by Hellmayr and Conover (1949: 281) —Falco plancus J.F. Miller, 1777 by subsequent designation, Article 69.1 (ICZN, 1999: 72), now
Caracara plancus (J.F. Miller, 1777).
The first author to make the family-group name Caracarinae available was Wetmore(1956: 48), who used the name in conjunction with Caracara Merrem, 1826. There was nodescription. It was made available under Article 13.2.1 (ICZN, 1999: 18) by a valid use before
2000, specifically Wetmore et al. (1957: 116) and Griffiths (1999: 124).
POLYBORUS VIEILLOT, 1816

Polyborus Vieillot, 1816 was made available by publication in the Analyse d'une nouvelleornithologie élémentaire (Vieillot, 1816a: 22) with a description, but the included species“Caracara, Buff[on].” was a vernacular name that cannot be an indication, as excluded by
Article 12.3 (ICZN, 1999: 17). The species added by Vieillot (1816b: 256–261) are deemed theonly originally included species under Article 67.2.2 (ICZN, 1999: 67), from which the typewas selected by Vigors (1824: 320) — “F. braziliensis [sic] of Linnaeus [= J.F. Gmelin], theCaracara of M. Buffon” by subsequent designation, Article 69.1 (ICZN, 1999: 72). Banks andDove (1992: 424) concluded that Falco brasiliensis J.F. Gmelin, 1788 ‘cannot definitely be
identified’ and that it ‘can have no standing as a primary name or synonym in ornithologicalnomenclature’. They went on to say ‘Vieillot’s genus Polyborus, based on an unidentifiable
species, can have no standing and we accept Caracara Merrem’. Smith (2017) attempted to
identify Marcgrave’s “Caracara” upon which Buffon’s “Caracara” was based, and concluded
that it was probably Polyborus chimachima Vieillot, 1816 (Vieillot, 1816b: 259) which would
make Polyborus Vieillot, 1816 an unused senior synonym (and nomen oblitum) of Milvago vonSpix, 1824. Smith recommended that, despite being available, Polyborus Vieillot, 1816 be
suppressed, and that there was ‘no valid argument for upsetting current stable usage by
imposing priority. Falco brasiliensis Gmelin, 1788 should thus also be suppressed as a nomen
oblitum’. Neither Banks and Dove (1992) nor Smith (2017) discussed the implications of theirfindings on any family-group names involved.
A family-group name based on Polyborus Vieillot, 1816 was introduced by Bonaparte in
his A geographical and comparative list of the birds of Europe and North America — Polyborinae
Bonaparte, 1838 (Bonaparte, 1838: 2) — and made available under Article 12.2.4 (ICZN, 1999:
16). Polyborus Vieillot, 1816 has not been used as a valid generic name in any major work since
Banks and Dove (1992) and while some authors have used ‘Polyborinae’, any use should be
depreciated until such time as an application can be presented to the ICZN to supress
Polyborus Vieillot, 1816 and Polyborinae Bonaparte, 1838 for the purposes of the Principle ofPriority, but not for the purposes of the Principle of Homonymy.
IBYCTER VIEILLOT, 1816

Ibycter Vieillot, 1816 was made available by publication in the Analyse d'une nouvelleornithologie élémentaire (Vieillot, 1816a: 22) with a description, but the included species “PetitISSN 2051–4441

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aigle de l’Amerique, Buff[on].” was a vernacular name and so cannot be an indication as they
are excluded by Article 12.3 (ICZN, 1999: 17). The single species added by Vieillot (1819: 9) isdeemed the only originally included species under Article 67.2.2 (ICZN, 1999: 67). Ibycter
leucogaster Vieillot, 1819 [= Falco americanus Boddaert, 1783] and is the type species bysubsequent monotypy, Article 69.3 (ICZN, 1999: 73), now Ibycter americanus (Boddaert, 1783).
A family-group name based on Ibycter Vieillot, 1816 was introduced by Bonaparte in his
Conspectus Systematis Ornithologiæ — Ibictereæ Bonaparte, 1854 (Bonaparte, 1854: 111) andmade available under Article 12.2.4 (ICZN, 1999: 16) at the rank of tribe. The suffix can becorrected under Article 32.5.3.1 (ICZN, 1999: 41) and the stem corrected under Article 32.5.3.3(ICZN, 1999: 42) to give Ibycterini Bonaparte, 1854.
DAPTRIUS VIEILLOT, 1816

Daptrius Vieillot, 1816 was made available by publication in the Analyse d'une nouvelleornithologie élémentaire (Vieillot, 1816a: 22) with a description and a type species by monotypy— Daptrius ater Vieillot, 1816 (Vieillot, 1816a: 68) — under Article 68.3 (ICZN, 1999: 71).
A family-group name based on Daptrius Vieillot, 1816 was introduced by Hellmayr andConover (1949: 259) — Daptriinae Hellmayr and Conover, 1949. There was no description. It
was made available under Article 13.2.1 (ICZN, 1999: 18) by valid use before 2000, notably
Stresemann and Stresemann (1960: 398) and Brown in Thomson (ed.), 1964 A new dictionary ofbirds (Brown, 1964: 267).
Gregory and Sangster, in their table I (Gregory & Sangster, 2023: N57), presumed that
Daptriinae Hellmayr and Conover, 1949 could take precedence, under Article 40.2 (ICZN,
1999: 46), from Ibycterini Bonaparte, 1854, as being replaced before 1961 due to synonymy of
the type genus. It has, however, been pointed out that Hellmayr and Conover (1949: 259) were
not the first authors to determine the precedence of Daptrius Vieillot, 1816 and Ibycter Vieillot,
1816 by citing both and selecting from them, so satisfying Article 24.2.1 (ICZN, 1999: 30). Thathonour went to G.R. Gray (1848: 28) who synonymized Daptrius Vieillot, 1816 with Ibycter
Vieillot, 1816 and used the latter as the valid name, the reverse of the treatment presented byHellmayr and Conover, when the two genera were combined. That action by Gray, althoughlargely overlooked, cannot be set aside, as the precedence is fixed by the First Reviser as
determined by Article 24.2 (ICZN, 1999: 30).
SPIZIAPTERYX KAUP, 1852

Spiziapteryx Kaup, 1852 was made available by publication, in the Proceedings of the
Zoological Society of London (Kaup, 1852: 43) with a description and type species by monotypy,of Harpagus circumcinctus Kaup, 1852 (Kaup, 1852: 43), now Spiziapteryx circumcincta (Kaup,1852), under Article 68.3 (ICZN, 1999: 71).
A family-group name based on Spiziapteryx Kaup, 1852 was introduced by Martorelli(1900: 175), Spiziapteryxinae Martorelli, 1900, and is available under Article 12.2.4 (ICZN,
1999: 16). The stem can be corrected under Article 29.3.1 (ICZN, 1999: 32) to give
Spiziapteryginae Martorelli, 1900.
CONCLUSION

The status of Polyborus Vieillot, 1816 and the associated family-group name Polyborinae
Bonaparte, 1838, will need to be resolved with an application to the ICZN to suppress both forthe purposes of the Principle of Priority, but not for the purposes of the Principle of

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Homonymy. Pending this, it is advisable that neither be used. Of the remaining family-groupnames, Caracarinae Wetmore, 1956 and Daptriinae Hellmayr and Conover, 1949 have seen
only limited and relatively equal use. The latter cannot derive precedence from Ibycterini
Bonaparte, 1854 because of the action by Gray (1848: 28) in giving seniority to Ibycter Vieillot,
1816 as First Reviser. It is therefore recommended that the family-group name to be used asvalid is decided by the Principle of Priority under Article 23.1 (ICZN, 1999: 24); this would be
Ibycterini Bonaparte, 1854.
The following are the available family-group names for the genera included in the clade
identified by Griffiths et al. (2004). The ranks shown are those used when first proposed, but
the names are available for use at any rank within the family-group according to the Principleof Coordination, Article 36.1 (ICZN, 1999: 45), subject to the limitations imposed by their typegenera, Article 35.3 (ICZN, 1999: 44):
Ibycterini
Ibictereæ Bonaparte, 1854
Ann. Sci. Nat. Zool., Paris, ser. 4, 1, no. 2., p. 111. Suffix corrected, Article 32.5.3.1 (ICZN,
1999: 41), Stem corrected, Article 32.5.3.3 (ICZN, 1999: 42).
Type genus: Ibycter Vieillot, 1816.
Contents: Spiziapteryx Kaup, 1852, Caracara Merrem, 1826, Ibycter, Phalcoboenus d’Orbigny,
1835, Milvago von Spix, 1824, Daptrius Vieillot, 1816.
ZooBank LSID for Ibycterini: 4B27B9E3-F022-4FD2-8E36-D6FC6CA70A11
Comment: Available by indication; Article 12.2.4 (ICZN, 1999: 16). Ibycter Vieillot, 1816
has precedence over Daptrius Vieillot, 1816. First Reviser G.R. Gray (1848: 28); Article
24.2.1 (ICZN, 1999: 30).
Spiziapteryginae
Spiziapteryxinae Martorelli, 1900
Atti della Soc. Ligust. Sci. Nat. Geogr., 10 (1899), p. 175. Stem corrected, Article 29.3.1(ICZN, 1999: 32).
Type genus: Spiziapteryx Kaup, 1852.
ZooBank LSID for Spiziapteryginae: 624EC212-D5A0-45E2-B977-5F25C56E76C3
Comment: Available by indication; Article 12.2.4 (ICZN, 1999: 16). Available for ataxon that does not contain Ibycter Vieillot, 1816.
Daptriinae
Daptriinae Hellmayr & Conover, 1949
Field Mus. Nat. Hist. Publ., Zool. Ser., 13, pt. 1, no. 4, pp. v, 259.
Type genus: Daptrius Vieillot, 1816.
ZooBank LSID for Daptriinae: E3632DE2-6D48-4AA9-A324-445333BF97E8
Comment: Available by use as valid before 2000; Article 13.2.1 (ICZN, 1999: 18),
Stresemann & Stresemann (1960: 398), and Brown in Thomson (ed.) (1964: 267).
Available for a taxon that does not contain Ibycter Vieillot, 1816 or Spiziapteryx Kaup,
1852.
Caracarinae
Caracarinae Wetmore, 1956
Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, 131, no. 5, p. 48.
Type genus: Caracara Merrem, 1826.
ZooBank LSID for Caracarinae: FAC95B25-0E6A-4ECD-BAB0-604B390AEB63
Comment: Available by use as valid before 2000; Article 13.2.1 (ICZN, 1999: 18),
Wetmore et al. (1957: 116), and Griffiths (1999: 124). Available for a taxon that does
not contain Ibycter Vieillot, 1816, Spiziapteryx Kaup, 1852 or Daptrius Vieillot, 1816.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Patrice Bouchard is gratefully thanked for his continued constructive advice, especiallythe finer points of interpretation for the various Articles of the ICZN Code (1999) used here.
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Address
Steven M.S. Gregory (), 35 Monarch Road, Northampton NN2 6EH, UK.
e-mail: sgregory.avium@ntlworld.com.

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