Porphyrio

Taxobox
name = "Porphyrio"

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image_width = 250px
image_caption = A Purple Swamphen from New Zealand (pūkeko, "Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus")
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Gruiformes
familia = Rallidae
genus = "Porphyrio"
genus_authority = Brisson, 1760
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision =
* "Porphyrio porphyrio"
* "Porphyrio hochstetteri"
* "Porphyrio alleni"
* "Porphyrio martinica"
* "Porphyrio flavirostris"
* "Porphyrio madagascariensis"For extinct species, see article text.
synonyms ="Notornis" "Porphyrula"

:"For the Latin grammarian sometimes known as Porphyrio, see Pomponius Porphyrion."

"Porphyrio" is the swamphen genus of birds in the rail family. It includes some smaller species which are usually called "purple gallinules", and which are sometimes separated as genus "Porphyrula" or united with the gallinules proper (or "moorhens") in "Gallinula". There are two living species of swamphen, the majority of the group having gone extinct in the Holocene. As opposed to the Old World and especially Australasian swamphens, the 4 "Porphyrio" gallinules are distributed in warmer regions of Africa and the Americas, barely reaching into Asia and Europe.

Living species
* Purple Swamphen formerly known as Purple Gallinule, "Porphyrio porphyrio"
* Takahē or South Island Takahē, "Porphyrio hochstetteri"Recent taxonomy changes in "Porphyrula" or "Gallinula":
* Allen's Gallinule also known as Lesser Gallinule, "Porphyrio alleni" (formerly "Porphyrula alleni")
* American Purple Gallinule, "Porphyrio martinica" (formerly "Porphyrula martinica")
* Azure Gallinule, "Porphyrio flavirostris"
* African Purple Swamphen formerly known as African Purple Gallinule, "Porphyrio madagascariensis" (formerly "Porphyrio porphyrio")

Extinct species
* Lord Howe Swamphen, "Porphyrio albus" (early 19th century)
* Réunion Swamphen or "Oiseau bleu", "Porphyrio coerulescens" (18th century, hypothetical species)
* Marquesas Swamphen, "Porphyrio paepae" (prehistoric or c.1900)
* North Island Takahē or mōho, "Porphyrio mantelli" (prehistoric or 1890s)
* New Caledonian Swamphen, "Porphyrio kukwiedei" (prehistoric or more recent)
* Huahine Swamphen, "Porphyrio mcnabi" (prehistoric)
* Buka Swamphen, "Porphyrio" sp. (prehistoric)
* Giant Swamphen, "Porphyrio" sp. (prehistoric)
* New Ireland Swamphen, "Porphyrio" sp. (prehistoric)
* Norfolk Island Swamphen, "Porphyrio" sp. (prehistoric)
* Rota Swamphen, "Porphyrio" sp. (prehistoric)
* Mangaia Swamphen/Woodhen, ?"Porphyrio" sp. (prehistoric) - would belong into "Porphyrula", "Gallinula" or "Pareudiastes"

References

* Taylor, P. Barry & van Perlo, Ber (1998): "Rails : a guide to the rails, crakes, gallinules, and coots of the world". Yale University Press, New Haven. ISBN 0-300-07758-0