The Anserinae are a subfamily in the waterfowl family Anatidae and includes the swan and geese. Under alternative systematical concepts (see e.g., Terres & NAS, 1991), it is split into two subfamilies. The Anserinae contains geese and ducks, while the Cygninae contains the swans.
Systematics Swans (Tribe Cygnini) Genus Cygnus – true swans: The black-and-yellow-billed swans are sometimes separated in the genus Olor. Genus †Afrocygnus (Miocene of North Africa) Genus †Annakacygna – short-winged swans (Miocene of Japan) Genus †Megalodytes (Miocene of California)
True geese (Tribe Anserini) Genus Anser – grey and white geese Genus Branta – black geese (including †B. rhuax, formerly placed in Geochen)
Unresolved Genus Coscoroba – coscoroba swan
These two genera are distinct from other geese and often elevated to a subfamily of their own (Cereopsinae), or alternatively into the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae:
Tribe Cereopseini
Genus Cereopsis – Cape Barren goose Genus †Cnemiornis – New Zealand geese (prehistoric)
Some enigmatic subfossils of very large goose-like birds from the Hawaiian Islands do not appear to be moa-nalos (goose-sized dabbling ducks) or B. rhuax. They cannot be assigned to any genus living today, though both may be fairly close to Branta: Very large Hawaiʻian goose, ?Branta sp. Giant Oʻahu goose, Anatidae sp. et gen. indet.
References
Terres, John K. & National Audubon Society (1991): The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds. Wings Books, New York.
Further reading