NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Plain-flanked Rail
Rallus wetmorei J. T. Zimmer & W. H. Phelps, 1944
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 plain-flanked rail (Rallus wetmorei) is an Endangered species of bird in subfamily Rallinae of family Rallidae, the rails, gallinules, and coots. It is endemic to Venezuela. It is a large rail with two distinct color morphs.
Wikipedia contributors, Plain-flanked rail; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T07:14:52.418456+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Rallus wetmorei J. T. Zimmer & W. H. Phelps, 1944
- Name authority
- J. T. Zimmer & W. H. Phelps, 1944
- Common name
- Plain-flanked Rail
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Gruiformes
- Family
- Rallidae
- Genus
- Rallus
- 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
- orderGruiformes
- familyRallidae
- genusRallus Linnaeus, 1758
- speciesRallus wetmorei J. T. Zimmer & W. H. Phelps, 1944
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Rallus. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Water RailRallus aquaticus Linnaeus, 1758 | RallidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| African RailRallus caerulescens J. F. Gmelin, 1789 | RallidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| King RailRallus elegans Audubon, 1834 | RallidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Mangrove RailRallus longirostris Boddaert, 1783 | RallidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Madagascar RailRallus madagascariensis J. Verreaux, 1833 | RallidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Bogota RailRallus semiplumbeus P. L. Sclater, 1856 | RallidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Ecuadorian RailRallus aequatorialis Sharpe, 1894 | RallidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Clapper RailRallus crepitans J. F. Gmelin, 1789 | RallidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Brown-cheeked RailRallus indicus Blyth, 1849 | RallidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Aztec RailRallus tenuirostris Ridgway, 1874 | RallidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Virginia RailRallus limicola Vieillot, 1819 | RallidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
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=176238 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:6WRB7. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.