NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Pygmy Cormorant
Microcarbo pygmaeus (Pallas, 1773)
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 pygmy cormorant (Microcarbo pygmaeus) is a member of the Phalacrocoracidae (cormorant) family of seabirds. It breeds in south-eastern Europe and south-western Asia. It is partially migratory, with northern populations wintering further south, mostly within its breeding range. It is a rare vagrant to western Europe.
Wikipedia contributors, Pygmy cormorant; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T04:46:12.426180+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Microcarbo pygmaeus (Pallas, 1773)
- Name authority
- (Pallas, 1773)
- Common name
- Pygmy Cormorant
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Suliformes
- Family
- Phalacrocoracidae
- Genus
- Microcarbo
- 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
- orderSuliformes
- familyPhalacrocoracidae Reichenbach, 1849
- genusMicrocarbo Bonaparte, 1856
- speciesMicrocarbo pygmaeus (Pallas, 1773)
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Microcarbo. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Reed CormorantMicrocarbo africanus (J. F. Gmelin, 1789) | PhalacrocoracidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Crowned CormorantMicrocarbo coronatus (Wahlberg, 1855) | PhalacrocoracidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Little Pied CormorantMicrocarbo melanoleucos (Vieillot, 1817) | PhalacrocoracidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Little CormorantMicrocarbo niger (Vieillot, 1817) | PhalacrocoracidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Phalacrocorax pygmeus (Pallas, 1773) (Pallas, 1773) | synonym |
| Pelecanus pygmeus Pallas, 1773 Pallas, 1773 | synonym |
| Pelecanus pygmaeus Pallas, 1773 Pallas, 1773 | synonym |
| Microcarbo pygmeus (Pallas, 1773) (Pallas, 1773) | 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=1255061 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:D5K8J. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.