Calyptorhynchus


Described by French naturalist Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest in 1826, the genus Calyptorhynchus has five species of cockatoos. They are all mostly black in colour, and the taxa may be differentiated partly by size and partly by small areas of red, grey, and yellow plumage, especially in the tail feathers. It is the sole genus of the "dark cockatoo" subfamily Calyptorhynchinae. Studies based on the mitochondrial DNA 12S gene fragment suggested that other sexually dichromatic species, the gang-gang cockatoo and the cockatiel may be the closest living relatives of Calyptorhynchus. However, subsequent studies, including more genes confirm the morphological taxonomy with the gang-gang cockatoo most closely related to the galah, within the white cockatoo group, and with the cockatiel as a third distinct subfamily of cockatoos. Two subgenera are recognized based on the colouration of the species, and presence of sexual dimorphism:
SubgenusImageScientific nameCommon nameSubspeciesDistribution
Calyptorhynchus - black-and-red cockatoosCalyptorhynchus banksiiRed-tailed black cockatoo
  • Calyptorhynchus banksii banksii
  • Calyptorhynchus banksii graptogyne
  • Calyptorhynchus banksii macrorhynchus
  • Calyptorhynchus banksii naso
  • Calyptorhynchus banksii samueli
Australia
Calyptorhynchus - black-and-red cockatoosCalyptorhynchus lathamiGlossy black cockatoo
  • Calyptorhynchus lathami lathami
  • Calyptorhynchus lathami erebus
  • Calyptorhynchus lathami halmaturinus
  • eastern Australia.
    Zanda - black-and-yellow/white cockatoosCalyptorhynchus funereusYellow-tailed black cockatoo
  • Calyptorhynchus funereus funereus
  • Calyptorhynchus funereus whiteae
  • Calyptorhynchus funereus xanthanotus
  • south-east of Australia
    Zanda - black-and-yellow/white cockatoosCalyptorhynchus latirostrisCarnaby's black cockatoosouthwest Australia
    Zanda - black-and-yellow/white cockatoosCalyptorhynchus baudiniiBaudin's black cockatoosouthwest Australia