Aequorlitornithes is a
clade
A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, ...
of waterbirds recovered in a comprehensive genomic systematic study using nearly 200 species in 2015. It contains the clades
Charadriiformes (waders and shorebirds),
Mirandornithes
Mirandornithes () is a clade that consists of flamingos and grebes. Many scholars use the term Phoenicopterimorphae for the superorder containing flamingoes and grebes.
Determining the relationships of both groups has been problematic. Flamingos ...
(flamingos and grebes) and
Phaethoquornithes (
Eurypygimorphae and
Aequornithes
Aequornithes (, from Latin ''aequor'', expanse of water + Greek ''ornithes'', birds), or core water birds are defined as "the least inclusive clade containing Gaviidae and Phalacrocoracidae".
The monophyly of the group is currently supported b ...
).
Previous studies have found different placement for the clades in the tree.
A 2024 study used Aequorlitornithes for a similar clade, which they recovered as part of
Aquaterraves. This clade also included
Opisthocomiformes and excluded
Charadriiformes, which they recovered in
Litusilvanae, a novel clade within Aquaterraves, which also included
Gruiformes
The Gruiformes are an order (biology), order containing a considerable number of living and extinct bird family (biology), families, with a widespread geographical diversity. Gruiform means "crane-like".
Traditionally, a number of wading and t ...
and
Caprimulgimorphae.
References
Neognathae
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