Andrew Jackson Grayson
Encyclopedia
Andrew Jackson Grayson (1819–1869) was an American
ornithologist and artist.
Grayson was the author of Birds of the Pacific Slope (1853-69), which he considered to be a completion of John James Audubon
's Birds of America. Grayson was born August 20, 1819, in the northwest corner of Louisiana, on the
Ouachita River, where his father had a cotton plantation.
and several other taxa have been named in honor of Grayson. They are mainly from the Revillagigedo Islands
and other islands offshore Pacific Mexico
. As with much island fauna
, several are endangered or extinct:
Birds:
Other:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ornithologist and artist.
Grayson was the author of Birds of the Pacific Slope (1853-69), which he considered to be a completion of John James Audubon
John James Audubon
John James Audubon was a French-American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter. He was notable for his expansive studies to document all types of American birds and for his detailed illustrations that depicted the birds in their natural habitats...
's Birds of America. Grayson was born August 20, 1819, in the northwest corner of Louisiana, on the
Ouachita River, where his father had a cotton plantation.
Taxa named after Grayson
Two bird speciesSpecies
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
and several other taxa have been named in honor of Grayson. They are mainly from the Revillagigedo Islands
Revillagigedo Islands
The Revillagigedo Islands or Revillagigedo Archipelago are a group of four volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean, known for their unique ecosystem...
and other islands offshore Pacific Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. As with much island fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
, several are endangered or extinct:
Birds:
- Micrathene whitneyi graysoni - Socorro Elf OwlElf OwlThe Elf Owl is a member of the owl family Strigidae that breeds in the southwestern United States and Mexico. It is the world's lightest owl, although the Long-whiskered Owlet and the Tamaulipas Pygmy Owl are of a similarly diminutive length. The mean body weight of this species is 40 grams...
(probably extinct since c.1970) - Mimus graysoni - Socorro Mockingbird (Critically endangeredCritically endangeredVersion 2010.3 of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 3744 Critically Endangered species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and subpopulations.Critically Endangered by kingdom:*1993 Animalia*2 Fungi*1745 Plantae*4 Protista-References:...
) - Parula pitiayumi graysoni - Socorro Tropical ParulaTropical ParulaThe Tropical Parula is a small New World warbler. It breeds from southernmost Texas and northwest Mexico south through Central America to northern Argentina, including Trinidad and Tobago. This widespread and common species is not considered threatened by the IUCN.This passerine is not migratory,...
- Zenaida graysoni - Socorro Dove (Extinct in the wildExtinct in the WildExtinct in the Wild is a conservation status assigned to species or lower taxa, the only known living members of which are being kept in captivity or as a naturalized population outside its historic range.-Examples:...
)
Other:
- Cambarus graysoni - a CambaridaeCambaridaeCambaridae is the largest of the three families of freshwater crayfish, with over 400 species. Most of the species in the family are native to North America east of the Great Divide, such as the invasive species Procambarus clarkii and Orconectes rusticus, with fewer species living in East Asia and...
crayfishCrayfishCrayfish, crawfish, or crawdads – members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea – are freshwater crustaceans resembling small lobsters, to which they are related... - Ochrotrichia graysoni - a HydroptilidaeHydroptilidaeHydroptilidae is a large family of caddisflies with a worldwide distribution. They are commonly known as microcaddisflies or purse-case caddisflies, in reference to two characteristic traits of this family: Hydroptilidae are much smaller than other caddisflies, rarely exceeding in length...
caddisfly - Sylvilagus graysoni - Tres Marias Cottontail Rabbit (Endangered)
Research resources
- Guide to the Andrew Jackson Grayson Papers at The Bancroft Library