Basic info Taxonomic history Classification Included Taxa
Morphology Ecology and taphonomy External Literature Search Age range and collections

Suliformes

Reptilia - Suliformes

Taxonomy
Suliformes was named by Sharpe (1891). It is extant.

It was assigned to Aves by del Hoyo et al. (2014); to Aves by Zvonok et al. (2016); to Pelecanimorphae by Sangster and Mayr (2021); and to Aequornithes by Mayr (2022).

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1891Suliformes Sharpe
2014Suliformes del Hoyo et al.
2016Suliformes Zvonok et al. p. 1
2021Suliformes Sangster and Mayr p. 50
2022Suliformes Mayr p. 119 figs. Fig. 7.1

Is something missing? Join the Paleobiology Database and enter the data

RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Bilateria
EubilateriaAx 1987
Life
Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
Tetrapoda
Reptiliomorpha
Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
Cotylosauria()
Amniota
Sauropsida
classReptilia
subclassEureptilia()
Romeriida
Diapsida()
RankNameAuthor
Archosauromorpha(Huene 1946)
Crocopoda
ArchosauriformesGauthier 1986
Eucrocopoda
Archosauria()
informalAvemetatarsalia
Ornithodira
Dinosauromorpha
Dinosauriformes
Dinosauria()
Theropoda()
Tetanurae
Coelurosauria()
Maniraptora
Paraves
classAves
subclassNeornithesGadow 1893
Aequornithes
Feraequornithes
superorderPelecanimorphaeHuxley 1867
orderSuliformesSharpe 1891
orderSuliformesSharpe 1891

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Or. Suliformes Sharpe 1891
show all | hide all
Fm. Anhingidae Ridgway 1887 [darter]
+
G. Anhinga Brisson 1760
+
Anhinga anhinga Linnaeus 1766 [anhinga]
Anhinga beckeri Emslie 1998
Anhinga grandis Martin and Mengel 1975
Anhinga hesterna Ameghino 1894
Anhinga malagurala Mackness 1995
Anhinga melanogaster Pennant 1769 [oriental darter]
Anhinga novaehollandiae Gould 1847 [Australasian darter]
+
Invalid names: Plotus laticeps De Vis 1905 [synonym]
Anhinga pannonica Lambrect 1916
Anhinga rufa Daudin 1802 [African darter]
Anhinga subvolans Brodkorb 1956
Anhinga walterbolesi Worthy 2012
G. †Liptornis
G. †Macranhinga Noriega 1992
+
Macranhinga ameghinoi Diederle and Agnolín 2017
Macranhinga paranensis Noriega 1992
Macranhinga ranzii Alvarenga and Guilherme 2003
G. †Meganhinga Alvarenga 1995
+
Meganhinga chilensis Alvarenga 1995
G. †Pseudolarus Ameghino 1891
+
Pseudolarus eocaenus Ameghino 1895
Invalid names: Pseudolarus guaraniticus Ameghino 1899 [nomen dubium]
Fm. Fregatidae Garrod 1874 [frigatebird]
+
G. Fregata Lacépède 1799
+
Fregata andrewsi Matthews 1914 [Christmas frigatebird]
Fregata aquila Linnaeus 1758 [Ascension frigatebird]
Fregata ariel Gray 1845 [Lesser frigatebird]
Fregata magnificens Mathews 1914 [Magnificent frigatebird]
Fregata minor Gmelin 1789 [Great frigatebird]
G. †Limnofregata Olson 1977
+
Limnofregata hasegawai Olson and Matsuoka 2005
Limnofregata hutchisoni Stidham 2015
Invalid names: Fregatinae Garrod 1784 [empty], Limnofregatinae Olson 1977 [empty]
G. †Mangystania Zvonok et al. 2016
+
Mangystania humilicristata Zvonok et al. 2016
Fm. Phalacrocoracidae Reichenbach 1850 [cormorant]
+
G. †Borvocarbo Mourer-Chauviré et al. 2004
+
Borvocarbo guilloti Mourer-Chauviré et al. 2004
Borvocarbo tardatus Göhlich and Mourer-Cauvire 2010
G. Gulosus Montagu 1813
+
Gulosus aristotelis Linnaeus 1761 [European shag]
G. Leucocarbo Bonaparte 1857
+
Leucocarbo atriceps King 1828 [Imperial shag]
Leucocarbo bougainvilliorum Lesson 1837 [Guanay cormorant]
Leucocarbo campbelli Filhol 1878 [Campbell shag]
Leucocarbo chalconotus Gray 1845 [Stewart shag]
Leucocarbo colensoi Buller 1888 [Auckland shag]
Leucocarbo magellanicus Gmelin 1789 [Rock shag]
Leucocarbo onslowi Forbes 1893 [Chatham shag]
Leucocarbo ranfurlyi Ogilvie-Grant 1901 [Bounty shag]
Leucocarbo verrucosus Cabanis 1875 [Kerguelen shag]
G. †Limicorallus Kurochkin 1968
+
Limicorallus saiensis Kurochkin 1968
G. Microcarbo Bonaparte 1856
+
Microcarbo africanus Gmelin 1789 [long-tailed cormorant]
+
Invalid names: Plotus nanus Newton and Gadow 1893 [synonym]
Microcarbo coronatus Wahlberg 1855 [crowned cormorant]
Microcarbo melanoleucos Vieillot 1817 [little pied cormorant]
+
Invalid names: Plotus parvus De Vis 1906 [synonym]
Microcarbo niger Vieillot 1817 [Little cormorant]
Microcarbo pygmaeus Pallas 1773 [Pygmy cormorant]
Microcarbo serventyorum van Tets 1994
Invalid names: Hydrocorax Vieillot 1817 [replaced]
G. †Miocorax Lambrecht 1933
G. †Nambashag Worthy 2011
+
Nambashag billerooensis Worthy 2011
Nambashag microglaucus Worthy 2011
G. Nannopterum Sharpe 1899
+
Nannopterum auritus Lesson 1831 [Double-crested cormorant]
Nannopterum brasilianus Gmelin 1789 [Neotropical cormorant]
Nannopterum harrisi Rothschild 1898 [Flightless cormorant]
G. †Nectornis Cheneval 1984
+
Nectornis anatolicus Paicheler et al. 1978
Nectornis miocaenus Milne-Edwards 1868
G. †Oligocorax Lambrecht 1933
+
Oligocorax littoralis Milne-Edwards 1863
G. †Paracorax Lambrecht 1933
+
Paracorax destefanii Regalia 1902
+
G. †Praecarbo Kessler and Horváth 2023
+
Praecarbo strigoniensis Kessler and Horváth 2023
G. Phalacrocorax Brisson 1760 [cormorant]
+
Phalacrocorax aristotelis Linnaeus 1761 [European shag]
+
Invalid names: Pelecanus graculus Linnaeus 1766 [synonym]
Phalacrocorax auritus Lesson 1831 [double-crested cormorant]
Phalacrocorax bougainvillii Lesson 1837 [Guanay cormorant]
Phalacrocorax brasilianus Gmelin 1789 [neotropic cormorant]
+
Invalid names: Pelecanus olivaceus Humboldt 1805 [synonym], Phalacrocorax pampeanus Moreno and Mercerat 1891 [synonym]
Phalacrocorax capensis Sparrman 1788 [cape cormorant]
Phalacrocorax capillatus Temminck and Schlegel 1849 [Japanese cormorant]
+
Invalid names: Carbo filamentosus Temminck and Schlegel 1849 [synonym]
Phalacrocorax carbo Linnaeus 1758 [great cormorant]
+
Invalid names: Phalacrocorax gregorii De Vis 1905 [synonym]
Phalacrocorax carunculatus Gmelin 1789 [Rough-faced shag]
Phalacrocorax chapalensis Alvarez 1977
Phalacrocorax featherstoni Buller 1873 [Pitt Island shag]
Phalacrocorax femoralis Miller 1929
Phalacrocorax filyawi Emslie 1995 [cormorant]
Phalacrocorax fuscescens Vieillot 1817 [Black-faced cormorant]
Phalacrocorax fuscicollis Stephens 1826 [Indian cormorant]
Phalacrocorax goletensis Howard 1965
Phalacrocorax intermedius Milne-Edwards 1867
Phalacrocorax kennelli Howard 1949
Phalacrocorax lautus Kurochkin and Ganea 1972
Phalacrocorax leptopus Brodkorb 1961 [cormorant]
Phalacrocorax littoralis Milne-Edwards 1863
Phalacrocorax longipes Tugarinov 1940
Phalacrocorax macer Brodkorb 1958
Phalacrocorax marinavis Shufeldt 1915
Phalacrocorax mediterraneus Shufeldt 1915
Phalacrocorax mongoliensis Kurochkin 1971
Phalacrocorax neglectus Wahlberg 1855 [bank cormorant]
Phalacrocorax nigrogularis Ogilvie-Grant and Forbes 1899 [Socotra cormorant]
Phalacrocorax pelagicus Pallas 1811 [pelagic cormorant]
+
Invalid names: Stictocarbo kenyoni Siegel-Causey 1991 [synonym]
Phalacrocorax penicillatus Brandt 1837 [Brandt's cormorant]
Phalacrocorax perspicillatus Pallas 1811 [Spectacled cormorant]
Phalacrocorax praecarbo von Ammon 1918
Phalacrocorax punctatus Sparrman 1786 [spotted shag]
Phalacrocorax purpurascens von Brandt 1837 [Macquarie Island shag]
Phalacrocorax reliquus Kurochkin 1976
Phalacrocorax rogersi Howard 1932
Phalacrocorax serdicensis Burchak-Abramovich and Nikolov 1984
Phalacrocorax sulcirostris Brandt 1837 [Little black cormorant]
Phalacrocorax varius Gmelin 1789 [pied cormorant]
+
Invalid names: Phalacrocorax vetustus De Vis 1905 [synonym]
Phalacrocorax wetmorei Brodkorb 1955
Invalid names: Australocorax Lambrecht 1933 [synonym], Graculus Reichenbach 1850 [synonym], Phalacrocorax ibericus de Villalta 1963 [nomen nudum], Pliocarbo Tugarinov 1940 [synonym], Stictocarbo Bonaparte 1855 [synonym]
G. †Piscator Harrison and Walker 1976
+
Piscator tenuirostris Harrison and Walker 1976
G. Poikilocarbo Boetticher 1935 [Red-legged cormorant]
+
Poikilocarbo gaimardi Lesson and Garnot 1828 [Red-legged cormorant]
G. Urile Bonaparte 1855
+
Urile pelagicus Pallas 1811 [Pelagic cormorant]
Urile penicillatus Brandt 1837 [Brandt's cormorant]
Urile urile Gmelin 1789 [Red-faced cormorant]
G. †Valenticarbo Harrison 1979
Invalid names: Leucocarboninae [empty]
Fm. †Plotopteridae Howard 1969
+
G. †Empeirodytes Ohashi and Hasegawa 2020
+
Empeirodytes okazakii Ohashi and Hasegawa 2020
G. Phocavis Goedert 1988
+
Phocavis maritimus Goedert 1988
G. †Plotopterum Howard 1969
+
Plotopterum joaquinensis Howard 1969
G. †Stemec Kaiser et al. 2015
+
Stemec suntokum Kaiser et al. 2015
G. †Stenornis Ohashi and Hasegawa 2020
+
Stenornis kanmonensis Ohashi and Hasegawa 2020
Subfm. †Tonsalinae Mayr and Goedert 2018
+
G. †Copepteryx Olson and Hasegawa 1996
+
Copepteryx hexeris Olson and Hasegawa 1996
Copepteryx titan Olson and Hasegawa 1996
G. †Hokkaidornis Sakurai et al. 2008
+
Hokkaidornis abashiriensis Sakurai et al. 2008
G. †Klallamornis Mayr and Goedert 2016
+
Klallamornis abyssa Mayr and Goedert 2016
Klallamornis clarki Mayr and Goedert 2016
G. †Olympidytes Mayr and Goedert 2016
G. †Tonsala Olson 1980
+
Tonsala buchanani Dyke et al. 2011
Tonsala hildegardae Olson 1980
Fm. Sulidae Reichenbach 1849 [booby]
+
G. †Empheresula Harrison 1975
+
Empheresula arvernensis Milne-Edwards 1867
Invalid names: Parasula Harrison 1975 [synonym]
G. †Enkurosula Kašin 1977
+
Invalid names: Pseudosula Harrison 1975 [synonym]
G. †Eostega Lambrecht 1929
+
Eostega lebedinskyi Lambrecht 1929
G. †Masillastega Mayr 2002
+
G. †Microsula Wetmore 1938
+
Microsula pygmaea Milne-Edwards 1874
G. †Miosula Miller 1925
+
Miosula media Miller 1925
G. Morus Vieillot 1816 [gannet]
+
Moris lompocana Miller 1925
Moris loxostyla Cope 1870
Moris reyana Howard 1936
Morus atlanticus Shufeldt 1915
Morus avitus Wetmore 1938
Morus bassanus Linnaeus 1758 [northern gannett]
Morus capensis Lichtenstein 1823 [Cape gannet]
Morus humeralis Miller and Bowman 1958
Morus magnus Howard 1978
Morus olsoni Grigorescu and Kessler 1988
Morus peninsularis Brodkorb 1955
Morus peruvianus Stucchi 2003
Morus poolensis Chandler 1963
Morus recentior Howard 1949
Morus reyanus Howard 1936
Morus serrator Gray 1843 [Australasian gannet]
Morus vagabundus Wetmore 1930
G. †Paleosula Howard 1958
+
Paleosula stocktoni Miller 1935
G. Papasula Olson and Warheit 1988
+
Papasula abbotti Ridgway 1893 [Abbott's booby]
Papasula abbotti costelloi Steadman et al. 1988
G. †Prophalacrocorax Harrison 1975
+
Prophalacrocorax ronzoni Gervais 1849
G. †Ramphastosula Stucchi and Urbina 2004
+
Ramphastosula aguierrei Stucchi et al. 2016
Ramphastosula ramirezi Stucchi and Urbina 2004
G. †Sarmatosula Grigorescu and Kessler 1977
+
Sarmatosula dobrogensis Grigorescu and Kessler 1977
G. Sula Brisson 1760
+
Subg. Sula (Sula) Brisson 1760
Sula brandi Stucchi et al. 2016
Sula clarki Chandler 1990
Sula dactylatra Lesson 1831 [masked booby]
Sula dactylatra tasmani van Tets et al. 1988
Sula figueroae Stucchi et al. 2016
Sula granti Rothschild 1902 [Nazca booby]
Sula leucogaster Boddaert 1783 [brown booby]
Sula magna Stucchi 2003
Sula nebouxii Milne-Edwards 1882 [Blue-footed booby]
Sula piscator Linnaeus 1758
Sula pohli Howard 1958
Sula sula Linnaeus 1766 [red-footed booby]
Sula sulita Stucchi 2003
Sula universitatis Brodkorb 1963
Sula variegata Tschudi 1843 [Peruvian booby]
Sula willetti Miller 1925
Invalid names: Dysporus Illiger 1811 [synonym], Sula guano Brodkorb 1955 [nomen nudum], Sula phosphata Brodkorb 1955 [nomen nudum]
Diagnosis
No diagnoses are available
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: hydroxyapatiteo
Entire body: yeso
Adult length: 10 to < 100o
Adult width: 1.0 to < 10o
Adult height: 1.0 to < 10o
Architecture: compact or denseo
Ontogeny: accretion, modification of partso
Grouping: solitaryo
Environment: terrestrialo
Locomotion: actively mobileo
Life habit: ground dwellingo
Diet: carnivoresubo
Reproduction: oviparouso
Dispersal: direct/internalo
Dispersal 2: mobileo
Created: 2009-01-03 20:39:15
Modified: 2009-01-03 22:39:15
Source: subo = suborder, o = order
References: Benton 1983, Marsh 1875

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Lancian to the top of the Holocene or 70.60000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 66.0 Ma

Collections (443 total)

Oldest occurrences

Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Lancian70.6 - 66.0USA (Wyoming) Phalacrocoracidae indet. sp. 2 (14519)
Wasatchian55.8 - 50.3USA (Wyoming) Limnofregata azygosternon (85192 85193) Limnofregata azygosternon, Limnofregata hasegawai (15664 85026) Limnofregata hasegawai (15853) Limnofregata hutchisoni (168323)
Wasatchian55.8 - 50.3USA (Virginia) Limnofregata sp. (15595)
Early/Lower Eocene55.8 - 48.6USA (Wyoming) Limnofregata azygosternon (215623)
MP 1148.6 - 40.4Germany (Hessen) Masillastega rectirostris (22701)
Lutetian47.8 - 41.3United Kingdom (England) Morus poolensis (24106)
Lutetian47.8 - 41.3Romania Eostega lebedinskyi (120554)
Bartonian41.3 - 38.0Kazakhstan Mangystania humilicristata (113116)
Bartonian - Rupelian41.3 - 28.1USA (Washington) Olympidytes thieli (206375)
Bartonian - Chattian41.3 - 23.03USA (Washington) Tonsala sp., Tonsala hildegardae, Tonsala buchanani, Klallamornis clarki (62246)
Priabonian38.0 - 33.9USA (Oregon) Phocavis maritimus (75900)
Late/Upper Eocene37.2 - 33.9United Kingdom (England) Piscator tenuirostris (181272)
Late/Upper Eocene37.2 - 33.9Japan Plotopteridae indet. (219706)
Early/Lower Oligocene33.9 - 28.4Japan Olympidytes sp. (219708)
Early/Lower Oligocene33.9 - 28.4France (Auvergne Region) Mergus ronzoni (31767)
Rupelian33.9 - 28.1France (Allier) Borvocarbo guilloti (181646)
Rupelian33.9 - 28.1Egypt (Fayum) Phalacrocoracidae indet. (12960)
Rupelian33.9 - 28.1Japan (Yamaguchi) Plotopteridae indet., Stenornis kanmonensis (197243)
Rupelian33.9 - 28.1Germany (Saxony) Phalacrocoracidae indet. (65173)
Rupelian33.9 - 28.1USA (Washington) Plotopteridae indet. (91620 193568) Tonsala buchanani (120368 120417) Tonsala hildegardae, Tonsala buchanani (58964)