Puffinus - Taxonomy

Taxonomy

Traditionally, Puffinus has been grouped with the Procellaria and Calonectris shearwaters. However, more recent results have determined the genus is apparently paraphyletic and while in part very close to Calonectris, forms a clade with the genera Pseudobulweria and Lugensa, which were formerly presumed to be gadfly petrels, and can be divided in what has been called the "Puffinus" and the "Neonectris" group after notable species; the latter would if separated as a distinct genus be named Ardenna (Penhallurick & Wink 2004). The former is taxonomically confusing, with species having been split and remerged in the last years. Genus Puffinus

• (Sub)Genus Puffinus ("Puffinus" group) - smaller species, closely related to Calonectris
  • Christmas Shearwater, Puffinus nativitatis
  • Galápagos Shearwater, Puffinus subalaris
  • Fluttering Shearwater, Puffinus gavia
  • Hutton's Shearwater, Puffinus huttoni
  • Scarlett's Shearwater, Puffinus spelaeus (prehistoric)
  • Yelkouan Shearwater, Puffinus yelkouan
  • Balearic Shearwater, Puffinus mauretanicus
  • Menorcan Shearwater, Puffinus sp. (prehistoric) - possibly extirpated population of extant species; tentatively placed in this group
  • Dune Shearwater or Hole's Shearwater, Puffinus holeae (prehistoric)
  • Lava Shearwater or Olson's Shearwater, Puffinus olsoni (prehistoric) - tentatively placed in this group
  • Little Shearwater, Puffinus assimilis
  • Bryan's Shearwater, Puffinus bryani
  • Heinroth's Shearwater, Puffinus heinrothi
  • Audubon's Shearwater, Puffinus lherminieri
    • Persian Shearwater, Puffinus (lherminieri) persicus
    • Tropical Shearwater or Baillon's Shearwater, Puffinus (lherminieri) bailloni
    • Bannerman's Shearwater, Puffinus (lherminieri) bannermani
  • Barolo Shearwater, Puffinus baroli
  • Boyd's Shearwater, Puffinus boydi
  • Manx Shearwater, Puffinus puffinus
  • Black-vented Shearwater, Puffinus opisthomelas
  • Townsend's Shearwater, Puffinus auricularis
  • Newell's Shearwater, Puffinus newelli
    • Rapa Shearwater, Puffinus (newelli) myrtae
  • Bermuda Shearwater, Puffinus parvus (extinct) - tentatively placed in this group
• (Sub)Genus Ardenna ("Neonectris" group) - larger species, a distinct lineage
  • Pink-footed shearwater, Puffinus creatopus
  • Flesh-footed Shearwater, Puffinus carneipes
  • Great Shearwater, Puffinus gravis
  • Sooty Shearwater or "muttonbird" (New Zealand), Puffinus griseus
  • Short-tailed Shearwater or "muttonbird" (Southern Australia), Puffinus tenuirostris
  • Wedge-tailed Shearwater or "muttonbird" (Northern and western Australia), Puffinus pacificus
  • Buller's Shearwater, Puffinus bulleri