Puffinus be divided in what has been called the "Puffinus" and the "Neonectris" group after notable species; the latter has been separated as a distinct genus named "Ardenna". The former is taxonomically confusing, with species having been split and remerged in the last years. The genus "Puffinus" contains the following species: Several fossil species which became extinct long ago are also known. The proportion of larger ("Neonectris") species apparently was larger before the Pliocene, i.e. before marine mammals diversified: ""Puffinus" arvernensis" (Early Miocene of France) is now considered a primitive albatross of the fossil genus "Plotornis". Puffinus Puffinus is a genus
Wildlife of Morocco endemic bird species, the northern bald ibis ("Geronticus eremita") occurs here, and there are about 12 globally endangered species; the white-headed duck ("Oxyura leucocephala"), the Balearic shearwater ("Puffinus mauretanicus"), the northern bald ibis, the Egyptian vulture ("Neophron percnopterus"), the lappet-faced vulture ("Torgos tracheliotos"), the hooded vulture ("Necrosyrtes monachus"), the white-backed vulture ("Gyps africanus"), the Rüppell's vulture ("Gyps rueppelli"), the sociable lapwing ("Vanellus gregarius"), the slender-billed curlew ("Numenius tenuirostris"), the great knot ("Calidris tenuirostris") and the saker falcon ("Falco cherrug"). Other birds with restricted ranges in north Africa include the Levaillant's woodpecker ("Picus vaillantii"), the Moussier's redstart ("Phoenicurus moussieri") and the