Everything about The North Pacific Albatross totally explained
The
North Pacific albatrosses are large
seabirds from the
genus Phoebastria in the
albatross family. They are the most
tropical of the albatrosses, with two species (the
Laysan Albatross and
Black-footed Albatross) nesting in North Western Hawaiian island chain, one on sub-tropical islands south of
Japan (the
Short-tailed Albatross), and one nesting on the
equator (the
Waved Albatross).
Their
taxonomy is very confusing, as with all albatrosses. It is widely accepted nowadays, based on molecular evidence (for example Nunn
et al., 1996) and the
fossil record, that they're a distinct genus from
Diomedea in which formerly most "white" albatrosses were placed but which is now restricted to the "Great" albatrosses.
Genus Phoebastria - North Pacific albatrosses
This genus and
Diomedea had already diverged in the Middle Miocene (12-15
mya). Several fossil forms are known, which incidentally prove that
Phoebastria was formerly distributed in the North Atlantic also. The current distribution is thus a
relict. The oldest known species,
P. californica, was at least the size of the Short-tailed Albatross and may have been an ancestor of this bird.
Fossil species
Phoebastria californica (Temblor Middle Miocene of Sharktooth Hill, USA)
Phoebastria anglica (Middle Pliocene - Early Pleistocene of NC Atlantic coasts)
Phoebastria cf. albatrus (San Diego Late Pliocene of San Diego County, USA) - formerly Diomedea howardae
Phoebastria rexsularum
Phoebastria cf. immutabilis (San Pedro Pleistocene of San Pedro, USA)
Phoebastria cf. nigripes (San Pedro Pleistocene of San Pedro, USA)Further Information
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