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
Flesh-footed shearwater Flesh-footed shearwater The flesh-footed shearwater ("Ardenna carneipes"; formerly "Puffinus carneipes") is a medium-sized shearwater. Its plumage is black. It has pale pinkish feet, and a pale bill with a distinct black tip. Together with the equally light-billed pink-footed shearwater, it forms the "Hemipuffinus" group, a superspecies which may or may not have an Atlantic relative in the great shearwater. These are large shearwaters which are among those that have been separated in the genus "Ardenna". It breeds in colonies, and has two main breeding areas: one in the southwest Pacific Ocean includes Lord Howe Island (16,900 pairs ), South Australia