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
Cape Byron Marine Park identifies the migratory little tern "(Sterna albifrons)" and the Beach stone-curlew "(Esacus neglectus)" as endangered. Seabirds that utilize the Cape Byron Marine Park are the providence pretal "(Pterodroma solandri)", flesh-footed shearwater "(Puffinus carneipes)", and the masked booby "(Sula dactylatra)" which are protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. Although no invertebrates have been identified as endangered or vulnerable, it is important to acknowledge that there are a plethora of invertebrates within the Cape Byron Marine Park which are critical to the health of the local ecosystems. These include a variety of molluscs such as the gold ring cowries