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Pheasants and Partridges (Phasianidae)

Asian Blue Quail (Coturnix chinensis) - HBW 2, p. 511

French: Caille peinte German: Zwergwachtel Spanish: Codorniz China
Other common names: King/Painted/Blue-breasted/Chinese Quail

Taxonomy: Tetrao chinensis Linnaeus, 1766, China and the Philippines = Nanking, China.
Previously placed in genus Excalfactoria. Sometimes considered conspecific with C. adansonii, with which forms superspecies. As consequence of transfer of present species from Excalfactoria to Coturnix, subspecies name australis preoccupied by C. ypsilophora australis, so gives place to junior synonym victoriae. Ten subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • chinensis (Linnaeus, 1766) - India and Sri Lanka E through Indochina to SE China and Taiwan, and S to Malay Peninsula.
  • trinkutensis (Richmond, 1902) - Nicobar Is; also said to occur in Andaman Is (race unspecified).
  • palmeri (Riley, 1919) - Sumatra and Java.

     See all 10 subspecies
  • chinensis (Linnaeus, 1766) - India and Sri Lanka E through Indochina to SE China and Taiwan, and S to Malay Peninsula.
  • trinkutensis (Richmond, 1902) - Nicobar Is; also said to occur in Andaman Is (race unspecified).
  • palmeri (Riley, 1919) - Sumatra and Java.
  • lineata (Scopoli, 1786) - Philippines, Borneo and Sulawesi.
  • lineatula (Rensch, 1931) - Lombok E to Timor, Lesser Sundas.
  • novaeguineae Rand, 1942 - mountains of New Guinea.
  • papuensis Mayr & Rand, 1937 - SE New Guinea.
  • lepida (Hartlaub, 1879) - Bismarck Archipelago.
  • colletti (Mathews, 1912) - Northern Territory, Australia.
  • victoriae (Mathews, 1912) - E Australia.
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