NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Guadalupe Murrelet
Synthliboramphus hypoleucus (Xantus de Vesey, 1860)
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 Guadalupe murrelet (Synthliboramphus hypoleucus) or Xantus's murrelet is a small seabird found in the California Current system in the Pacific Ocean. This auk breeds on islands off California and Mexico. It is threatened by predators introduced to its breeding colonies and by oil spills.
This species together with the Scripps's murrelet were considered conspecific and were classified under S. hypoleucus; known collectively as Xantus's murrelet until 2012. Enough evidence was collected to consider both species distinct based on a lack of evidence of interbreeding where the two species nest together on the San Benito Islands, differences in facial pattern and bill shape, vocalizations and genetics.
Wikipedia contributors, Guadalupe murrelet; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T07:13:48.290785+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Synthliboramphus hypoleucus (Xantus de Vesey, 1860)
- Name authority
- (Xantus de Vesey, 1860)
- Common name
- Guadalupe Murrelet
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Alcidae
- Genus
- Synthliboramphus
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
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
- orderCharadriiformes
- familyAlcidae
- genusSynthliboramphus J. F. Brandt, 1837
- speciesSynthliboramphus hypoleucus (Xantus de Vesey, 1860)
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Synthliboramphus. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Ancient MurreletSynthliboramphus antiquus (J. F. Gmelin, 1789) | AlcidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Japanese MurreletSynthliboramphus wumizusume (Temminck, 1836) | AlcidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Endomychura hypoleucus (Xantus de Vesey, 1860) (Xantus de Vesey, 1860) | synonym |
| Synthliboramphus hypoleucus hypoleucus (Xantus de Vesey, 1860) (Xantus de Vesey, 1860) | synonym |
| Endomychura hypoleuca (Xantus de Vesey, 1860) (Xantus de Vesey, 1860) | synonym |
| Brachyramphus hypoleucus hypoleucus Xantus de Vesey, 1860 Xantus de Vesey, 1860 | synonym |
| Endomychura hypoleuca hypoleuca (Xantus de Vesey, 1860) (Xantus de Vesey, 1860) | synonym |
| Brachyramphus hypoleucus Xantus de Vesey, 1860 Xantus de Vesey, 1860 | synonym |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
North America
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=177011 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:53YYK. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.