Auk - Systematics

Systematics

Family Alcidae (=Pan-Alcidae)

Basal and incertae sedis
- Alcodes (fossil: Late Miocene of Orange County, USA)
- Hydrotherikornis (fossil: Late Eocene of Oregon, USA) – disputed
- "Mancalla" diegensis (fossil: Middle Pliocene of California, USA)
- "Mancalla" milleri (fossil)
- "Mancalla" emlongi (fossil)
- Pseudocepphus (fossil: Middle - Late Miocene) – basal Alcinae?
- Subfamily Petralcinae (fossil) – disputed
  - Petralca (Early ?- Late Oligocene of Austria)
- Subfamily Mancallinae (fossil)
  - Praemancalla (Late Miocene - Early Pliocene of Orange County, USA)
  - Mancalla (Late Miocene - Early Pleistocene of W North America)
  - Miomancalla
Family Alcidae (crown group)
- Basal and incertae sedis
  - Miocepphus (fossil: Middle Miocene of CE USA)
- Subfamily Alcinae
  - Tribe Alcini – typical auks and murres
    - Uria
      - Common Guillemot or Common Murre, Uria aalge
      - Brunnich's Guillemot or Thick-billed Murre, Uria lomvia
    - Little Auk or Dovekie, Alle alle
    - Great Auk, Pinguinus impennis (extinct, c.1844)
    - Razorbill, Alca torda
  - Tribe Synthliboramphini – synthliboramphine murrelets
    - Synthliboramphus
      - Xantus's Murrelet, Synthliboramphus hypoleucus – sometimes separated in Endomychura
      - Craveri's Murrelet, Synthliboramphus craveri – sometimes separated in Endomychura
      - Ancient Murrelet, Synthliboramphus antiquus
    - Japanese Murrelet, Synthliboramphus wumizusume
  - Tribe Cepphini – true guillemots
    - Cepphus
      - Black Guillemot or Tystie, Cepphus grylle
      - Pigeon Guillemot, Cepphus columba
        
        Kurile Guillemot, Cepphus (columba) snowi
      - Spectacled Guillemot, Cepphus carbo
  - Tribe Brachyramphini – brachyramphine murrelets
    - Brachyramphus
      - Marbled Murrelet, Brachyramphus marmoratus
      - Long-billed Murrelet Brachyramphus perdix
      - Kittlitz's Murrelet, Brachyramphus brevirostris
- Subfamily Fraterculinae
  - Tribe Aethiini – auklets
    - Ptychoramphus
      - Cassin's Auklet, Ptychoramphus aleuticus
    - Aethia
      - Parakeet Auklet, Aethia psittacula
      - Crested Auklet, Aethia cristatella
      - Whiskered Auklet, Aethia pygmaea
      - Least Auklet, Aethia pusilla
  - Tribe Fraterculini – puffins
    - Rhinoceros Auklet, Cerorhinca monocerata
    - Fratercula
      - Atlantic Puffin, Fratercula arctica
      - Horned Puffin, Fratercula corniculata
      - Tufted Puffin, Fratercula cirrhata

Biodiversity of auks seems to have been markedly higher during the Pliocene. See the genus accounts for prehistoric species.