Kingdom Animalia Class Aves Family Procellariidae Scientific name Puffinus spelaeus | Phylum Chordata Order Procellariiformes Genus Puffinus Rank Species | |
Similar Eyles's harrier, South Island piopio, New Zealand bittern, North Island takahē, Adzebill | ||
Scarlett's shearwater (Puffinus spelaeus) was a species of seabird in the petrel family Procellariidae. Its common name commemorates New Zealand palaeontologist Ron Scarlett.
This bird became known from fossil bones found in caves in the west and north-west of South Island, New Zealand in 1991. It is likely to have been driven to extinction by the kiore Rattus exulans, which was introduced by Polynesians to New Zealand less than 1000 years ago.
References
Scarlett's shearwater Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA