NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Samoan Moorhen
Gallinula pacifica (Hartlaub & Finsch, 1871)
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The Samoan moorhen (Gallinula pacifica), also known as the Samoan woodhen and Samoan wood rail, is a nearly flightless rail endemic to the Samoan island of Savai'i that is Critically Endangered. As it has evolved adaptations for a more terrestrial lifestyle and at least partly nocturnal habits, it is probably better placed in a distinct genus, Pareudiastes (which sometimes includes the more distinct Makira woodhen too), but this issue has not yet been thoroughly researched. It was known as puna'e ("one that jumps up") to the native Samoans; this was said to relate to the bird's habit of making a jumping dash into cover when startled from its resting place.
Wikipedia contributors, Samoan moorhen; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T04:07:46.182096+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Gallinula pacifica (Hartlaub & Finsch, 1871)
- Name authority
- (Hartlaub & Finsch, 1871)
- Common name
- Samoan Moorhen
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Gruiformes
- Family
- Rallidae
- Genus
- Gallinula
- Extinction status
- Recorded extinct
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classAves
- orderGruiformes
- familyRallidae
- genusGallinula Brisson, 1760
- speciesGallinula pacifica (Hartlaub & Finsch, 1871)
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Gallinula. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus (Linnaeus, 1758) | RallidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Tristan GallinuleGallinula nesiotis P. L. Sclater, 1861 | RallidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extinct |
| Dusky MoorhenGallinula tenebrosa Gould, 1846 | RallidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Makira MoorhenGallinula silvestris (Mayr, 1933) | RallidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Pareudiastes pacificus Hartlaub & Finsch, 1871 Hartlaub & Finsch, 1871 | synonym |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=560146 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:3F6W3. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.