American cormorants | |
---|---|
Double-crested cormorant (N. auritum) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Suliformes |
Family: | Phalacrocoracidae |
Genus: |
Nannopterum Sharpe, 1899 |
Type species | |
Phalacrocorax harrisi
Rothschild, 1898
| |
Species | |
Synonyms | |
Nesocarbo |
Nannopterum is a genus of cormorant comprising three species. They are found throughout the Americas, hence the common name American cormorants.
These species were formerly classified in the genus Phalacrocorax. A molecular phylogenetic study of the cormorants published in 2014 found that these three species formed a clade that was sister to the genus Leucocarbo. [1] To create monophyletic genera, the three species were moved the resurrected genus Nannopterum that had been introduced in 1899 by English ornithologist Richard Bowdler Sharpe to accommodate the flightless cormorant. [2] [3] [4] The genus Nannopterum is thought to have split from Leucocarbo between 6.7 - 8.0 million years ago. [1]
The genus name Nannopterum combines the Ancient Greek nannos meaning "dwarf" with pteron meaning "wing". [5] This name was coined for the flightless cormorant, which does indeed have small wings. Genetic studies have found that the neotropic and double-crested cormorants form a clade with the flightless cormorant, and they are thus placed together in the genus Nannopterum despite both species having normal-sized wings and full flight capabilities. [4]
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Flightless cormorant |
Nannopterum harrisi (Rothschild, 1898) |
Fernandina and
Isabela Islands in the
Galápagos Islands,
Ecuador |
Size: Habitat: Diet: |
VU
|
Neotropic cormorant |
Nannopterum brasilianum (Gmelin, 1789) Two subspecies
|
Resident from
Tierra Del Fuego north to all of
South America,
Central America, and
Mexico to the
Gulf Coast of
Texas, along with the southern tip of
Baja California,
Cuba, and
Great Inagua island. Breeding range extends north to most of east-central Texas and central
Arizona &
New Mexico. Nonbreeding range extends to most of
Bahamas. |
Size: Habitat: Diet: |
LC
|
Double-crested cormorant |
Nannopterum auritum (Lesson, 1831) |
Throughout North America, from
Alaska to all of
Canada and the
United States, south to the
Yucatán Peninsula, the Bahamas and
Cuba |
Size: Habitat: Diet: |
LC
|
American cormorants | |
---|---|
Double-crested cormorant (N. auritum) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Suliformes |
Family: | Phalacrocoracidae |
Genus: |
Nannopterum Sharpe, 1899 |
Type species | |
Phalacrocorax harrisi
Rothschild, 1898
| |
Species | |
Synonyms | |
Nesocarbo |
Nannopterum is a genus of cormorant comprising three species. They are found throughout the Americas, hence the common name American cormorants.
These species were formerly classified in the genus Phalacrocorax. A molecular phylogenetic study of the cormorants published in 2014 found that these three species formed a clade that was sister to the genus Leucocarbo. [1] To create monophyletic genera, the three species were moved the resurrected genus Nannopterum that had been introduced in 1899 by English ornithologist Richard Bowdler Sharpe to accommodate the flightless cormorant. [2] [3] [4] The genus Nannopterum is thought to have split from Leucocarbo between 6.7 - 8.0 million years ago. [1]
The genus name Nannopterum combines the Ancient Greek nannos meaning "dwarf" with pteron meaning "wing". [5] This name was coined for the flightless cormorant, which does indeed have small wings. Genetic studies have found that the neotropic and double-crested cormorants form a clade with the flightless cormorant, and they are thus placed together in the genus Nannopterum despite both species having normal-sized wings and full flight capabilities. [4]
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Flightless cormorant |
Nannopterum harrisi (Rothschild, 1898) |
Fernandina and
Isabela Islands in the
Galápagos Islands,
Ecuador |
Size: Habitat: Diet: |
VU
|
Neotropic cormorant |
Nannopterum brasilianum (Gmelin, 1789) Two subspecies
|
Resident from
Tierra Del Fuego north to all of
South America,
Central America, and
Mexico to the
Gulf Coast of
Texas, along with the southern tip of
Baja California,
Cuba, and
Great Inagua island. Breeding range extends north to most of east-central Texas and central
Arizona &
New Mexico. Nonbreeding range extends to most of
Bahamas. |
Size: Habitat: Diet: |
LC
|
Double-crested cormorant |
Nannopterum auritum (Lesson, 1831) |
Throughout North America, from
Alaska to all of
Canada and the
United States, south to the
Yucatán Peninsula, the Bahamas and
Cuba |
Size: Habitat: Diet: |
LC
|