Flightless cormorant

Flightless cormorant
Elizabeth Bay, Isabela Island, Galapagos.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Suliformes
Family: Phalacrocoracidae
Genus: Nannopterum
Species:
N. harrisi
Binomial name
Nannopterum harrisi
(Rothschild, 1898)
Synonyms

Phalacrocorax harrisi

The flightless cormorant (Nannopterum harrisi), also known as the Galapagos cormorant, is a cormorant endemic to the Galapagos Islands, and an example of the highly unusual fauna there. It is unique in that it is the only known cormorant that has lost the ability to fly. It was placed in its own genus, Nannopterum, but then was later placed with most of the other cormorants in the genus Phalacrocorax.[2] A 2014 study supported reclassifying it and two other American cormorant species back into Nannopterum.[3] The IOC followed this classification in 2021.[4]

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2018). "Nannopterum harrisi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22696756A133546087. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22696756A133546087.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  2. ^ Kennedy, M.; et al. (2009). "The phylogenetic position of the Galápagos Cormorant". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 53 (1): 94–98. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2009.06.002. PMID 19523526.
  3. ^ Kennedy, Martyn; Spencer, Hamish G. (2014-10-01). "Classification of the cormorants of the world". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 79: 249–257. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2014.06.020. ISSN 1055-7903. PMID 24994028.
  4. ^ "Taxonomic Updates – IOC World Bird List". Retrieved 2021-07-28.