Golden-naped Weaver, figure from Gyldenstolpe 1924a
Golden-naped Weaver (left) compared to Yellow-mantled Weaver (right) figure from Chapin 1954a
Golden-naped Weaver distribution, type locality circled
Introduction
The Golden-naped Weaver was formally described by Moriz Sassi, an Austrian zoologist.
The Golden-naped Weaver was collected by Rudolf Grauer, an Austrian explorer and zoologist.
Grauer, a lawyer by trade before becoming an explorer, conducted zoological investigations in British East Africa (present-day Uganda) in 1905 to collect big game, in German East Africa (Tanzania) in 1907, and in the Belgian Congo (1910-11).
In December 1909 Grauer started his fourth expedition in central Africa. He travelled westward from Lake Victoria to DRCongo where he collected birds at many different localities. He collected 4 specimens of the Golden-naped Weaver, 3 from Beni-Mawambi and 1 from Ukaika. Early in 1911 he returned to Lake Victoria, having collected over 6000 specimens, including several types and some rare birds, in eastern DRC.
Grauer's collection was sent to the Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna. It took Sassi from 1912 to 1924 to work through the collections, which were published in 3 parts.
The Golden-naped Weaver was first illustrated by Gyldenstolpe 1924a, and the second illustration was much later, by Chapin 1954a.
Weaver Watch
