Fregata de Lacépède, 1799 Discours de l'ouverture et de clôture du cours d'histoire naturelle donné dans le Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, l'an VII de la République, et tableaux méthodiques des mammifères et des oiseaux p.15 Pelecanusaquilus Linnaeus, 1758; Type by subsequent designation (Daudin, 1802, Histoire Naturelle par Buffon, Quadrupèdes, (18mo Didot ed.) Quadr., 14, p.3)
347. Lesser FrigatebirdFregata ariel (Gray, 1845) Alternative Names: Least Frigatebird IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II.
347a. Fregata ariel iredalei Mathews, 1914 [HB#32] Original Description:Fregataarieliredalei Mathews, 1914 The Austral Avian Record; a scientific journal devoted primarily to the study of the Australian avifauna 2 no.6 p.121 Distribution: Monsoon stragglers – mostly W coast, Lakshadweep, and rarely in E coast as well as inland. Specimens: BNHS
[Fregata ariel ariel (Gray, 1845) ] Original Description:AtagenAriel Gray, 1845 The genera of birds: comprising their generic characters, a notice of the habits of each genus, and an extensive list of species referred to their several genera pt.9, 3 p.669 pl.185 Distribution: Andaman Sea. Notes: Andaman records may relate to this subspecies that breed southeast of the region.
348. Christmas Island FrigatebirdFregata andrewsi Mathews, 1914 [HB#30] Original Description:Fregataandrewsi Mathews, 1914 The Austral Avian Record; a scientific journal devoted primarily to the study of the Australian avifauna 2 p.120 Alternative Names: Christmas Frigatebird Distribution: Monsoon straggler. Reported from the coastal regions of West Bengal, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. IUCN: Vulnerable. WLPA: Schedule-I. CITES: Appendix I. CMS: Appendix I. Notes: See Karuthedathu et al. (2014, IB 10 (5): 115), Balasubramanian (2016, IB 12 (4&5): 148A), Vishnudattan & Meppayur (2019, Malabar Trogon 16 (3): 63), James et al. (2025, IB (4): 97) .
349. Great FrigatebirdFregata minor (Gmelin, 1789) Original Description:Pelecanusminor Gmelin, 1789 Systema Naturae. Editio decima tertia, aucta, reformata. Cura Jo. Frid. Gmelin (etc.). Tomus I. Pars II 1 pt2 p.572 Alternative Names: Lesser Frigatebird (vide HBK) IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II.
349a. Fregata minor aldabrensis Mathews, 1914 [HB#31] Original Description:Fregataminoraldabrensis Mathews, 1914 The Austral Avian Record; a scientific journal devoted primarily to the study of the Australian avifauna 2 no.6 p.119 Distribution: Monsoon stragglers – mostly in the SW coast, rarely in the E coast as well as inland. Also, reported from Lakshadweep and Andaman Is. Specimens: BNHS, KAUNHM,ZSIAN Notes: Reports from Andamans (ZSI/ANRC/T/3296) treated here as this subspecies based on its longer bill (see Rajeshkumar & Raghunathan 2014, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 134 (4): 305).