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Order Pelecaniformes


Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Sub-kingdom Eumetazoa
Sub-sub-kingdom Bilateria
Metaphylum Enterocoelous Coelomates
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Class Aves
Subclass Neornithes
Superorder Neognathae

Order Pelecaniformes

This group contains the pelicans, gannets, cormorants, water-turkey, and man-o-war bird. Found worldwide in the tropics and subtropics, they are totipalmate swimmers with four toes included in the webbed foot. They have a tendency for the development of a throat pouch. Greek: pelekan, pelican + Latin: forma, shape. (Dorit et al, 1991)