Malachite kingfisher Malachite kingfisher The malachite kingfisher ("Corythornis cristatus") is a river kingfisher which is widely distributed in Africa south of the Sahara. It is largely resident except for seasonal climate-related movements. The malachite kingfisher was described by the German naturalist Peter Simon Pallas in 1764 and given the binomial name "Alcedo cristata". The specific epithet "cristata" is from the Latin "cristatus" meaning "crested" or "plumed". The adjective "malachite" in the vernacular name normally refers to the dark green colour of the copper containing mineral. This kingfisher has blue upperparts but has black banding with pale blue or greenish-blue on its forehead.
Italian submarine Malachite Spezia. In 1937 she undertook a training campaign near the Greek coast, in the Dodecanese and around Tobruk. During the Spanish Civil War, the submarine conducted a special mission between 24 August and 4 September 1937, and on August 29 she was subject to a anti-submarine search and attack. Between 1938 and 1940 "Malachite" was training and exercising for long periods around Tobruk. Upon her return to Italy, she was assigned to 47th Squadron (IV Submarine Group) based at Taranto. At the time of Italy's entrance into World War II, "Malachite" was reassigned to the X Submarine Group based at