This order comprises the following families: 

• Heliornithidae (Sungrebe, Finfoots)
• Sarothruridae (Flufftails, Wood Rails)
• Rallidae (Rail)
• Gruidae (Cranes)
• Aramidae (Limpkin)
• Psophiidae (Trumpeters)

Genus-level timetree of extant Gruiformes according to Prum et al. (2015), Boast et al. (2019), Kuhl et al. (2021), and Kirchman et al. (2021), with the distribution of each taxon being indicated by the colour-code used throughout this website (Distribution code).  According to the results of Kuhl et al. (2021) the divergence between the gruid genera Balearica and Bugeranus occurred at 13 Ma, whereas Krajewski et al. (2010) assumed this divergence to have occurred much earlier at 31-37 Ma. Accepting the divergence times given by Kuhl et al. (2021) and considering the fact that Krajewski et al. (2010) further assumed that the divergence between Leucogeranus and the remaining gruid genera occurred at 12-14 Ma, it follows that all gruid genera except Balearica should probably be placed in a single genus Grus. Neither Prum et al. (2015) nor Kuhl et al. (2021) treated any species of Sarothruridae, so intrinsic sarothrurid divergence times have not been established yet. 

Genus-level timetree of extant Rallidae according to Boast et al. (2019), Garcia-R. et al. (2020), Garcia-R. & Matzke (2021), and Kirchman et al. (2021), with the distribution of each taxon being indicated by the colour-code used throughout this website (Distribution code). 

Species-level classification of extant Ralloidea following Kirchman et al. (2021) and Sangster et al. (2024). The species composition of the genus Porphyrio is derived from the timetree provided by Verry et al. (2024, fig.4) and should be considered preliminary.

References

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Photos