Vanuatu Petrel Pterodroma occulta Scientific name definitions

The Vanuatu Petrel (Pterodroma occulta) is a poorly known species that was first described to science in 2001 (1 Imber, M. J., and A. J. D. Tennyson (2001). A new petrel species (Procellariidae) from the south-west Pacific. Emu 101:123–127. Close ). This species is so similar to White-necked Petrel (P. cervicalis) that it was long considered to be part of that species, albeit a smaller form. Its similarity to White-necked Petrel has contributed to our poor understanding of the species: the two species are very difficult to separate in the field, thus confounding the status and distribution at sea. Nests of the Vanuatu Petrel were discovered in 2009 on Vanua Lava (2 Totterman, S. (2009). Vanuatu Petrel (Pterodroma occulta) discovered breeding on Vanua Lava, Banks Islands, Vanuatu. Notornis 56:57–62. Close ). The species is thought to have a very small population, although no formal assessment has been undertaken.