Phaethon Linnaeus, 1758 Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturæ, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata 1 p.134 Phaethonaethereus Linnaeus, 1758; Type by subsequent designation (Gray, 1840, A list of the genera of birds, with an indication of the typical species of each genus, p.80)
318. Red-billed TropicbirdPhaethon aethereus Linnaeus, 1758 Original Description:Phaëthonaethereus Linnaeus, 1758 Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturæ, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata 1 p.134 Alternative Names: Short-tailed Tropicbird IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II.
318a. Phaethon aethereus indicus Hume, 1876 [HB#17] Original Description:Phaetonindicus Hume, 1876 Stray Feathers 4 p.481 (Cherbaniani reef, Lakshadweep) Distribution: Non-breeding: Off-shore Arabian Sea and sporadically in Bay of Bengal. Stragglers sometimes in the coasts. Type Specimen: NHMUK#1894.6.20.88 (Holotype). Specimens: BNHS, NHMUK
319a. Phaethon rubricauda rubricauda Boddaert, 1783 [HB#18] Original Description:Phaetonrubricauda Boddaert, 1783 Table des planches enluminéez d'histoire naturelle de M. D'Aubenton p.57 Distribution: Vagrant. Reported from S W Bengal, Porbandar (Gujarat), and once seen off-shore Great Nicobar Is. Specimens: ZRC Notes: Bay of Bengal records assumed to be of this subspecies after RA2012.
320. White-tailed TropicbirdPhaethon lepturus Daudin, 1802 Alternative Names: White Tropicbird IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II.
320a. Phaethon lepturus lepturus Daudin, 1802 [HB#19] Original Description:Phaëtonlepturus Daudin, 1802 Histoire Naturelle par Buffon, Quadrupèdes 14 p.319 Distribution: Non-breeding: Lakshadweep Sea and off-shore waters thereof. Stragglers elsewhere, in W Bengal and S Assam (historical). Notes: All Andaman Sea reports probably of this subspecies only (and not fulvus that breeds in Christmas Is.). There is a specimen in a private collection in Kerala.
[Phaethon lepturus fulvus Brandt, 1838 ] Original Description:Phaëthonfulvus Brandt, 1838 Bulletin Scientifique publié par l'Académie Impériale des Sciences de Saint-Pétersbourg 4 no.7 col.98 Distribution: SE Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea. Notes: May occur, as they breed southeast of our region in Christmas Is.