Rallus Linnaeus 1758

Genus Rallus Linnaeus, 1758

We are able to document the existence of at least five new endemic species, two species in Madeira (one on Madeira and one on Porto Santo), and three Azorean species, each confined to a single island. The bill of all of the new species described herein differs from the short and relatively broad bills of Porzana or Gallinula. The very long and slender bill (premaxillae and mandible) displayed by the new species clearly places them in Rallus (Olson 1973a; Olson and Wingate 2000, 2001). These new rails are presumably derived from Rallus aquaticus, although a derivation from some other Rallus species of North American origin cannot be excluded. Additionally, the material of Rallus obtained at three Azorean Islands (Santa Maria, Terceira and Graciosa) is presented, but is left unassigned to a species pending the discovery of more complete additional material.