Invalid subtaxa: Apterodytes ictus Ameghino 1901 [nomen dubium], Delphinornis gracilis Wiman 1905 [nomen dubium], Ichthyopteryx Wiman 1905 [nomen dubium], Ichthyopteryx gracilis Wiman 1905 [nomen dubium], Ichtyopteryx Wiman 1905 [nomen dubium], Ichtyopteryx gracilis Wiman 1905 [nomen dubium], Neculus Ameghino 1905 [nomen dubium], Orthopteryx Wiman 1905 [nomen dubium], Orthopteryx gigas Wiman 1905 [nomen dubium], Palaeoapterodytes Ameghino 1905 [nomen dubium], Palaeoapterodytes ictus Ameghino 1901 [nomen dubium], Tasidyptes van Tets and O'Connor 1983 [nomen dubium], Tasidyptes hunteri van Tets and O'Connor 1983 [nomen dubium]
Parent taxon: Sphenisciformes according to T. Park and E. M. G. Fitzgerald 2012
Sister taxa: Icadyptes, Inkayacu, Kaiika, Kairuku, Perudyptes, Waimanu
Subtaxa: Anthropodyptes, Anthropornis, Archaeospheniscus, Arthrodytes, Dege, Delphinornis, Duntroonornis, Eretiscus, Eudyptes, Eudyptula, Inguza, Korora, Madrynornis, Marambiornis, Marplesornis, Megadyptes, Mesetaornis, Nucleornis, Pachydyptes, Palaeeudyptes, Palaeeudyptinae, Palaeospheniscinae, Palaeospheniscus, Paraptenodytes, Paraptenodytinae, Platydyptes, Pseudaptenodytes, Pygoscelis, Spheniscinae, Spheniscus, Tereingaornis, Tonniornis, Wimanornis
Ecology: ground dwelling carnivore