Sandpipers, Snipes and Phalaropes (Scolopacidae)

Tuamotu Sandpiper (Prosobonia cancellata) - HBW 3, p. 515

French: Chevalier des Touamotou German: Südseeläufer Spanish: Andarríos de Tuamotu

Taxonomy: Tringa cancellata Gmelin, 1789, Kiritimati (Christmas Island), Line Islands, Pacific Ocean.
Formerly placed in genus Aechmorhynchus. May have formed superspecies with extinct P. leucoptera and P. ellisi (see page 484). Population of Tuamotu sometimes separated as parvirostris, awarded subspecies or even species status; in latter arrangement, extant birds would become P. parvirostris and name P. cancellata restricted to extinct form of Kiritimati; however, available information probably too scanty to enable firm conclusions. Monotypic.

Distribution: Tuamotu Is (French Polynesia).