Pelecanimorphae is a clade of aequornithean birds that comprises the orders Ciconiiformes, Suliformes and Pelecaniformes.
Pelecanimorphae is defined in the PhyloCode by George Sangster and colleagues in 2022 as "the least inclusive clade containing Pelecanus onocrotalus, Sula leucogaster, and Ciconia ciconia".
[5] The less inclusive clade Pelecanes was named by Sangster et al, 2022 to unite Pelecaniformes and Suliformes and defined in the PhyloCode as the "least inclusive crown clade containing Pelecanus onocrotalus and Sula leucogaster".
[5] This cladogram follows the hypothesis that herons are sister to Pelecani.
[6][7] Ciconiidae (storks) Fregatidae (frigatebirds) Sulidae (boobies and gannets) Anhingidae (darters) Phalacrocoracidae (cormorants) Threskiornithidae (ibises and spoonbills) Ardeidae (herons) Scopidae (hamerkop) Balaenicipitidae (shoebill) Pelecanidae (pelicans)