Penguins Fossil range: Paleocene-Recent
Gentoo Penguin, Pygoscelis papua
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Sphenisciformes Sharpe, 1891 Family: Spheniscidae Bonaparte, 1831
Modern genera
Aptenodytes Eudyptes Eudyptula Megadyptes Pygoscelis Spheniscus For prehistoric genera, see Systematics

Penguins (order Sphenisciformes, family Spheniscidae) are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere. This article is about the taxonomic rank for the sequence of species in a taxonomic list see Taxonomic order In scientific classification used In Biological classification, family ( Latin An aquatic animal is an Animal which lives in water for most or all of the time Flightless birds are birds which lack the ability to fly relying instead on their ability to run or swim and are thought to have evolved from their flying ancestors Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. Southern Hemisphere is the half of a Planet that is South of the Equator —the word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' The number of penguin species is debated. In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. Depending on which authority is followed, penguin biodiversity varies between 17 and 20 living species, all in the subfamily Spheniscinae. Biodiversity is the variation of Life forms within a given Ecosystem, Biome or for the entire Earth. In Biological classification, family ( Latin Some sources consider the White-flippered Penguin a separate Eudyptula species, while others treat it as a subspecies of the Little Penguin; ^[1][2] the actual situation seems to be more complicated. The White-flippered Penguin ( Eudyptula albosignata albosignata) is a small Penguin about 30 cm tall and weighing 1 The genus Eudyptula ("good little diver" contains two species of Penguin. Korora redirects here For the Kororaa Linux operating system see Kororaa. ^[3] Similarly, it is still unclear whether the Royal Penguin is merely a color morph of the Macaroni penguin. The Royal Penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli inhabits the waters surrounding Antarctica. The Macaroni Penguin ( Eudyptes chrysolophus) is a species of Penguin of the genus Eudyptes closely related to the Royal Penguin. Also eligible to be a separate species is the Northern population of Rockhopper penguins. The Southern Rockhopper Penguin, Eudyptes chrysocome, is a Species of Penguin. ^[2] Although all penguin species are native to the southern hemisphere, they are not, contrary to popular belief, found only in cold climates, such as Antarctica. In fact, only a few species of penguin actually live so far south. At least 10 species live in the temperate zone: one; the Galápagos Penguin; lives as far north as the Galápagos Islands. The Galápagos Penguin ( Spheniscus mendiculus) is a Penguin endemic to the Galápagos Islands.

The largest living species is the Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri): adults average about 1. The Emperor Penguin ( Aptenodytes forsteri) is the tallest and heaviest of all living Penguin species and is endemic to Antarctica. 1 m (3 ft 7 in) tall and weigh 35 kg (75 lb) or more. Mass is a fundamental concept in Physics, roughly corresponding to the Intuitive idea of how much Matter there is in an object The smallest penguin species is the Little Blue Penguin (also known as the Fairy Penguin), which stands around 40 cm tall (16 in) and weighs 1 kg (2. Korora redirects here For the Kororaa Linux operating system see Kororaa. 2 lb). Among extant penguins larger penguins inhabit colder regions, while smaller penguins are generally found in temperate or even tropical climates (see also Bergmann's Rule). In Zoology, Bergmann's rule is an ecogeographic rule that correlates Latitude with body mass in animals Some prehistoric species attained enormous sizes, becoming as tall or as heavy as an adult human (see below for more). Stone Age Paleolithic See also Paleolithic, Recent African Origin, Early Homo sapiens, Early human migrations "Paleolithic" These were not restricted to Antarctic regions; on the contrary, subantarctic regions harboured high diversity, and at least one giant penguin occurred in a region not quite 2,000 km south of the Equator 35 mya, in a climate decidedly warmer than today. The Subantarctic is a region in the Southern Hemisphere immediately north of Antarctica and covering the many islands of the southern parts of the Indian Ocean The equator (sometimes referred to colloquially as "the Line") is the intersection of the Earth 's surface with the plane perpendicular to the In Astronomy, Geology, and Paleontology, mya or " mya " is an abbreviation for "million years ago".

Most penguins feed on krill, fish, squid, and other forms of sealife caught while swimming underwater. Krill are a type of Shrimp -like marine Invertebrate animal These small Crustaceans are important organisms of the Zooplankton, particularly Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two Squid are marine Cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species Marine biology is the scientific study of living Organisms in the Ocean or other marine or Brackish bodies of water They spend half of their life on land and half in the oceans.

Penguins seem to have no special fear of humans and have approached groups of explorers without hesitation. This is probably on account of there being no land predators in Antarctica or the nearby offshore islands that prey on or attack penguins. Instead, penguins are at risk at sea from predators such as the leopard seal. The Leopard seal ( Hydrurga leptonyx) is the second largest species of seal in the Antarctic (after the Southern Elephant Seal) and is near the top Typically, penguins do not approach closer than about 3 meters (10 ft) at which point they become nervous. This is also the distance that Antarctic tourists are told to keep from penguins (tourists are not supposed to approach closer than 3 meters, but are not expected to withdraw if the penguins come closer).

Contents 1 Penguin biology 1.1 Anatomy 1.2 Breeding 1.3 Isabelline penguins 2 Systematics and evolution 2.1 Systematics 2.2 Evolution 2.2.1 The basal fossils 2.2.2 Palaeëudyptines 2.2.3 Origin and systematics of modern penguins 3 Penguins and humans 3.1 Etymology 3.2 Penguins in popular culture 4 Species photographs 5 General gallery 6 References 6.1 Footnotes 6.2 Bibliography 7 External links

Penguin biology

Anatomy

Penguins are superbly adapted to an aquatic life. Their wings have become flippers, useless for flight in the air. WING "ESPN 1410" is a commercial AM radio station in Dayton Ohio operating with 5000 watts at 1410 kHz with studios offices and transmitter located on David In the water, however, penguins are astonishingly agile. Within the smooth plumage a layer of air is preserved, ensuring buoyancy. Plumage refers both to the layer of Feathers that cover a Bird and the pattern colour and arrangement of those feathers The air layer also helps insulate the birds in cold waters. On land, penguins use their tails and wings to maintain balance for their upright stance. The tail is the section at the rear end of an Animal 's Body; in general the term refers to a distinct flexible Appendage to the Torso.

All penguins are countershaded for camouflage – that is, they have a white underside and a dark (mostly black) upperside. Countershading, or Thayer’s Law, is a form of Camouflage. Countershading in which an animal’s pigmentation is darker dorsally, is often thought Camouflage is a method of cryptic or concealing coloration that allows an otherwise visible Organism A predator looking up from below (such as an orca or a leopard seal) has difficulty distinguishing between a white penguin belly and the reflective water surface. The Orca or Killer Whale ( Orcinus orca) less commonly Blackfish or Seawolf, is the largest species of the Oceanic dolphin family The Leopard seal ( Hydrurga leptonyx) is the second largest species of seal in the Antarctic (after the Southern Elephant Seal) and is near the top The dark plumage on their backs camouflages them from above.

Diving penguins reach 6 to 12 km/h (3. 7 to 7. 5 mph), though there are reports of velocities of 27 km/h (17 mph) (which are more realistic in the case of startled flight). The small penguins do not usually dive deep; they catch their prey near the surface in dives that normally last only one or two minutes. Larger penguins can dive deep in case of need. Dives of the large Emperor Penguin have been recorded which reach a depth of 565 m (1,870 ft) and last up to 22 minutes.

Penguins either waddle on their feet or slide on their bellies across the snow, a movement called "tobogganing", which conserves energy while moving quickly. They also jump with both feet together if they want to move more quickly or cross steep or rocky terrain.

Penguins have an average sense of hearing for birds;^[4] this is used by parents and chicks to locate one another in crowded colonies. A seabird colony is a site which Seabirds visit to breed typically during the summer ^[5] Their eyes are adapted for underwater vision, and are their primary means of locating prey and avoiding predators; in air it has been suggested that they are nearsighted, although research has not supported this hypothesis. Eyes are organs that detect Light, and send signals along the Optic nerve to the visual areas of the brain Myopia (from Greek: μυωπία myopia "near-sightedness" also called near- or short-sightedness, is a refractive defect ^[6]

Penguins have a thick layer of insulating feathers which serve to keep them warm in water (heat loss in water is much greater than in air). The Emperor penguin (the largest penguin) has the largest body mass of all penguins, which further reduces relative surface area and heat loss. They also are able to control blood flow to their extremities, reducing the amount of blood which gets cold, but still keeping the extremities from freezing. In the extreme cold of the Antarctic winter, the females are at sea fishing for food leaving the males to brave the weather by themselves. They often huddle together to keep warm and rotate positions to make sure that each penguin gets a turn in the center of the heat pack.

They can drink salt water because their supraorbital gland filters excess salt from the bloodstream. The supraorbital gland is a type of lateral nasal gland found in some species of marine birds particularly Penguins, which removes sodium chloride from the bloodstream ^[7][8][9] The salt is excreted in a concentrated fluid from the nasal passages.

Breeding

Penguins form monogamous pairs for a breeding season, though the rate the same pair recouples varies drastically. The Chinstrap Penguin ( Pygoscelis antarcticus) is a species of Penguin which is found in the South Sandwich Islands, Antarctica the South Orkneys Most penguins lay two eggs in a clutch, though the two largest species, the Emperor and the King Penguins, lay only one. The King Penguin ( Aptenodytes patagonicus) is the second largest species of Penguin at about 90 cm (3 ft tall and weighing 11 to 16 kg (24 to ^[10] The parents cooperate in caring for the clutch and the young. During the cold season on the other hand the mates separate for several months to protect the egg. Usually, the male stays with the egg and keeps it warm while the female goes to sea to find food for the baby. When the female comes back, they switch roles.

Penguin eggs are smaller than any other bird species when compared proportionally to the weight of the parent birds; at 52 grams, the Little Penguin egg is 4. 7% of its mothers' weight, and the 450-gram Emperor Penguin egg is 2. 3%. ^[10] The relatively thick shell forms between 10 and 16% of the weight of a penguin egg, presumably to minimise risk of breakage in an adverse nesting environment. The yolk, too, is large, and comprises 22–31% of the egg. Some yolk often remains when a chick is born, and is thought to help sustain it if parents are delayed in returning with food. ^[11]

When mothers lose a chick, they sometimes attempt to "steal" another mother's chick, usually unsuccessfully as other females in the vicinity assist the defending mother in keeping her chick. In some species, such as Emperor Penguins, young penguins assemble in large groups called crèches. The Emperor Penguin ( Aptenodytes forsteri) is the tallest and heaviest of all living Penguin species and is endemic to Antarctica. The Crèche (from French in Zoology refers to care of another's offspring for instance in a colony

Isabelline penguins

Perhaps one in 50,000 penguins (of most species) are born with brown rather than black plumage. These are called Isabelline penguins, possibly in reference to the legend that the archduchess Isabella of Austria vowed not to change her undergarments until her husband united the northern and southern Low Countries by taking the city of Ostend – which took three years to accomplish. Isabella of Austria (also known as Isabella or Elisabeth of Burgundy, of Habsburg, or of Castile) ( 18 July 1501 ^[12] Isabellinism is different from albinism, though the faded color of the plumage calls albinism to mind. Isabelline penguins tend to live shorter lives than normal penguins, as they are not well-camouflaged against the deep, and are often passed over as mates.

Systematics and evolution

Systematics

Updated after Marples (1962), Acosta Hospitaleche (2004), and Ksepka et al. (2006). See the gallery for images of most living species. Penguins ( order Sphenisciformes, family Spheniscidae) are a group of aquatic, flightless Birds living almost

ORDER SPHENISCIFORMES

• Basal and unresolved taxa (all fossil)
  • Waimanu – basal (Middle-Late Paleocene)
  • Perudyptes (Middle Eocene of Atacama Desert, Peru) – basal?
  • Spheniscidae gen. In Phylogenetics, a basal Clade is the earliest clade to branch in a larger clade it appears at the base of a cladogram FOSSIL is a standard protocol for allowing serial communication for Telecommunications programs under the DOS Operating system. Waimanu was a Genus of early Penguin which lived soon after the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event. et sp. indet. CADIC P 21 (Leticia Middle Eocene of Punta Torcida, Argentina: Clarke et al. 2003)
  • Delphinornis (Middle/Late Eocene? – Early Oligocene of Seymour Island, Antarctica) – Palaeeudyptinae, basal, new subfamily 1?
  • Archaeospheniscus (Middle/Late Eocene – Late Oligocene) – Palaeeudyptinae? New subfamily 2?
  • Marambiornis (Late Eocene –? Early Oligocene of Seymour Island, Antarctica) – Palaeeudyptinae, basal, new subfamily 1?
  • Mesetaornis (Late Eocene –? Early Oligocene of Seymour Island, Antarctica) – Palaeeudyptinae, basal, new subfamily 1?
  • Tonniornis (Late Eocene –? Early Oligocene of Seymour Island, Antarctica)
  • Wimanornis (Late Eocene –? Early Oligocene of Seymour Island, Antarctica)
  • Duntroonornis (Late Oligocene of Otago, New Zealand) – possibly Spheniscinae
  • Korora (Late Oligocene of S Canterbury, New Zealand)
  • Platydyptes (Late Oligocene of New Zealand) – possibly not monophyletic; Palaeeudyptinae, Paraptenodytinae or new subfamily?
  • Spheniscus gen. Archaeospheniscus is an Extinct Genus of large Penguins It currently contains three Species, known from somewhat fragmentary The genus Spheniscus ("wedge-shaped" contains four living species of Penguins collectively known as "the banded penguins" due to their similar et sp. indet (Late Oligocene/Early Miocene of Hakataramea, New Zealand)
  • Madrynornis (Puerto Madryn Late Miocene of Argentina) – possibly Spheniscinae
  • Pseudaptenodytes (Late Miocene/Early Pliocene)
  • Dege (Early Pliocene of South Africa) – possibly Spheniscinae
  • Marplesornis (Early Pliocene) – possibly Spheniscinae
  • Nucleornis (Early Pliocene of Duinfontain, South Africa) – possibly Spheniscinae
  • Inguza (Late Pliocene) – probably Spheniscinae; formerly Spheniscus predemersus
• Family Spheniscidae
  • Subfamily Palaeeudyptinae – Giant penguins (fossil)
    • Crossvallia (Cross Valley Late Paleocene of Seymour Island, Antarctica) – tentatively assigned to this subfamily
    • Anthropornis (Middle Eocene? – Early Oligocene of Seymour Island, Antarctica) – tentatively assigned to this subfamily
      • Nordenskjoeld's Giant Penguin, Anthropornis nordenskjoeldi
    • Icadyptes (Late Eocene of Atacama Desert, Peru)
    • Palaeeudyptes (Middle/Late Eocene – Late Oligocene) – polyphyletic; some belong in other subfamilies
    • Pachydyptes (Late Eocene)
    • Anthropodyptes (Middle Miocene) – tentatively assigned to this subfamily
  • Subfamily Paraptenodytinae – Stout-footed penguins (fossil)
    • Arthrodytes (San Julian Late Eocene/Early Oligocene – Patagonia Early Miocene of Patagonia, Argentina)
    • Paraptenodytes (Early – Late Miocene/Early Pliocene)
  • Subfamily Palaeospheniscinae – Slender-footed penguins (fossil)
    • Eretiscus (Patagonia Early Miocene of Patagonia, Argentina)
    • Palaeospheniscus (Early? – Late Miocene/Early Pliocene) – includes Chubutodyptes
  • Subfamily Spheniscinae – Modern penguins
    • Aptenodytes – Great penguins (2 species)
    • Pygoscelis – Brush-tailed penguins (3 species)
    • Eudyptula – Little penguins (1 or 2 species)
    • Spheniscus – Banded penguins (4 species)
    • Megadyptes – Yellow-eyed Penguin
    • Eudyptes – Crested penguins (6–8 living species)

Taxonomy: Clarke et al. The Extinct Penguin Genus Pseudaptenodytes contains the type species P Inguza predemersus is an Extinct Species of Penguin. It was formerly placed in the Genus Spheniscus and presumed For the supposed "giant penguin" reported from Florida around 1948 see Giant penguin hoax. FOSSIL is a standard protocol for allowing serial communication for Telecommunications programs under the DOS Operating system. Anthropornis nordenskjoeldi, or Nordenskjoeld's Giant Penguin, was a Penguin species that lived 45–37 million years ago during the Late Eocene Icadyptes salasi was a giant Penguin species from the late Eocene period in the tropics of South America. Palaeeudyptes is an Extinct Genus of large Penguins currently containing four accepted Species. Pachydyptes is an Extinct Genus of penguin It contains the single species Pachydyptes ponderosus, the New Zealand Giant Penguin Anthropodyptes is a poorly known Monotypic Genus of Extinct Penguin. FOSSIL is a standard protocol for allowing serial communication for Telecommunications programs under the DOS Operating system. Paraptenodytes is an Extinct Genus of Penguins which contains two or three Species sized between a Magellanic Penguin Palaeospheniscus is an Extinct Genus of Penguins which contains three Species at present FOSSIL is a standard protocol for allowing serial communication for Telecommunications programs under the DOS Operating system. Palaeospheniscus is an Extinct Genus of Penguins which contains three Species at present The Genus Aptenodytes (from the Ancient Greek a /α 'without' pteno- /πτηνο- 'feather' or 'wing' and dytes /δυτης The genus Pygoscelis ("elbow-legged" contains three living species of Penguins collectively known as "The Brush-Tailed Penguins" The genus Eudyptula ("good little diver" contains two species of Penguin. The genus Spheniscus ("wedge-shaped" contains four living species of Penguins collectively known as "the banded penguins" due to their similar The Yellow-eyed Penguin ( Megadyptes antipodes) or HoiHo is a Penguin native to New Zealand The Genus Eudyptes ("good diver" contains six living species of Penguins collectively known as crested penguins. (2003) and Ksepka et al. (2006) apply the phylogenetic taxon Spheniscidae to what here is referred to as Spheniscinae. Phylogenetic nomenclature (PN is an alternative to rank-based nomenclature. Furthermore, they restrict the phylogenetic taxon Sphenisciformes to flightless taxa, and establish the phylogenetic taxon Pansphenisciformes as equivalent to the Linnean taxon Sphenisciformes,^[13] i. Linnaean taxonomy is a method of classifying living things originally devised by (and named for Carolus Linnaeus, although it has changed considerably since his time e. , including any flying basal "proto-penguins" to be discovered eventually. Given that neither the relationships of the penguin subfamilies to each other nor the placement of the penguins in the avian phylogeny is presently resolved, this seems spurious and in any case is confusing; the established Linnean system is thus followed here.

Evolution

The evolutionary history of penguins is well-researched and represents a showcase of evolutionary biogeography; though as penguin bones of any one species vary much in size and few good specimens are known, the alpha taxonomy of many prehistoric forms still leaves much to be desired. eVolution is the third Album by eLDee, it was due to be released in 2008 Biogeography is the study of the distribution of Biodiversity over Space and Time. Taxonomy, sometimes alpha taxonomy, is the Science of finding describing and categorising Organisms thus giving rise to taxonomic groups or taxa Some seminal articles about penguin prehistory have been published since 2005,^{[14][15][16][17]} the evolution of the living genera can be considered resolved by now.

The basal penguins lived around the time of the Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event somewhere in the general area of (southern) New Zealand and Byrd Land, Antarctica. In Phylogenetics, a basal Clade is the earliest clade to branch in a larger clade it appears at the base of a cladogram The Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event, which occurred approximately ( Ma) was a large-scale mass extinction of animal and plant species in a geologically New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Marie Byrd Land is the portion of Antarctica lying east of the Ross Ice Shelf and the Ross Sea and south of the Pacific Ocean, extending eastward ^[16] Due to plate tectonics, these areas were at that time less than 1,500 kilometers (932 mi) apart rather than the 4,000 kilometers (2,485 mi) of today. Plate tectonics (from Greek τέκτων tektōn "builder" or "mason" describes the large scale motions of Earth 's Lithosphere The most recent common ancestor of penguins and their sister clade can be roughly dated to the Campanian–Maastrichtian boundary, around 70–68 mya. In Genetics, the most recent common ancestor ( MRCA) of any set of Organisms is the most recent individual from which all organisms in the group are directly Cladistics is the hierarchical classification of Species based on evolutionary ancestry The Campanian is a stage on the Geologic time scale occurring from 83 The Maastrichtian is the last stage of the Cretaceous period, and therefore of the Mesozoic era. ^[15][17][18] What can be said as certainly as possible in the absence of direct (i. e. , fossil) evidence is that by the end of the Cretaceous, the penguin lineage must have been evolutionarily well distinct, though much less so morphologically; it is fairly likely that they were not yet entirely flightless at that time, as flightless birds have generally low resilience to the breakdown of trophic webs which follows the initial phase of mass extinctions because of their below-average dispersal capabilities (see also Flightless Cormorant). The Cretaceous (kriːˈteɪʃəs, usually abbreviated 'K' for its German translation "Kreide" is a geologic period and system, reaching from the end of The term morphology in Biology refers to the outward appearance ( Shape, Structure, Colour, Pattern) of an Organism Food chains, also called food networks and/or trophic networks, describe the feeding relationships between species within an Ecosystem. The Flightless Cormorant ( Phalacrocorax harrisi) also known as the Galapagos Cormorant, is a Cormorant native to the Galapagos Islands,

The basal fossils

The oldest known fossil penguin species is Waimanu manneringi, which lived in the early Paleocene epoch of New Zealand, or about 62 mya. FOSSIL is a standard protocol for allowing serial communication for Telecommunications programs under the DOS Operating system. The Paleocene or Palaeocene, "early dawn of the recent" is a geologic epoch that lasted from 65 New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island In Astronomy, Geology, and Paleontology, mya or " mya " is an abbreviation for "million years ago". ^[17] While they were not as well-adapted to aquatic life as modern penguins, Waimanu were generally loon-like birds but already flightless, with short wings adapted for deep diving. Waimanu was a Genus of early Penguin which lived soon after the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event. The loons (eg North America or divers (eg UK/Ireland are a group of aquatic birds found in many parts of North America and northern Eurasia They swam on the surface using mainly their feet, but the wings were – as opposed to most other diving birds, living and extinct – already adapting to underwater locomotion.

Perudyptes from northern Peru was dated to 42 mya. An unnamed fossil from Argentina proves that by the Bartonian (Middle Eocene), some 39–38 mya,^[19] primitive penguins had spread to South America and were in the process of expanding into Atlantic waters. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. The Bartonian (also known as the Auversian) is a stage of the middle Eocene Epoch. The Eocene epoch (558 ± 02 - 339 ± 01 Ma) is a major division of the Geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Palaeogene period in South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a ^[13]

Palaeëudyptines

During the Late Eocene and the Early Oligocene (40–30 mya), some lineages of gigantic penguins existed. The Oligocene is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene period and extends from about 33 Nordenskjoeld's Giant Penguin was the tallest, growing nearly 1. Anthropornis nordenskjoeldi, or Nordenskjoeld's Giant Penguin, was a Penguin species that lived 45–37 million years ago during the Late Eocene 80 meters (6 ft) tall. The New Zealand Giant Penguin was probably the heaviest, weighing 80 kg or more. Pachydyptes is an Extinct Genus of penguin It contains the single species Pachydyptes ponderosus, the New Zealand Giant Penguin Both were found on New Zealand, the former also in the Antarctic farther eastwards. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island

Traditionally, most extinct species of penguins, giant or small, had been placed in the paraphyletic subfamily called Palaeeudyptinae. In Phylogenetics, a group of organisms is said to be paraphyletic if the group contains its most recent common ancestor but does not contain all In Biological classification, family ( Latin For the supposed "giant penguin" reported from Florida around 1948 see Giant penguin hoax. More recently, with new taxa being discovered and placed in the phylogeny if possible, it is becoming accepted that there were at least two major extinct lineages. One or two closely related ones occurred in Patagonia, and at least one other – which is or includes the paleeudyptines as recognized today – occurred on most Antarctic and subantarctic coasts. Llao LLaojpg|thumb|250px| Lake Nahuel Huapi, near Bariloche, Argentina The Subantarctic is a region in the Southern Hemisphere immediately north of Antarctica and covering the many islands of the southern parts of the Indian Ocean

But size plasticity seems to have been great at this initial stage of penguin radiation: on Seymour Island, Antarctica, for example, around 10 known species of penguins ranging in size from medium to huge apparently coexisted some 35 mya during the Priabonian (Late Eocene). An adaptive radiation is a rapid Evolutionary radiation characterized by an increase in the morphological and ecological diversity of a single rapidly diversifying lineage For Baltra Island, also called South Seymour Island, in the Galápagos Islands group see Baltra Island. The Priabonian (also known as Jacksonian or Runangan) is the final stage of the Eocene Epoch. ^[20] It is not even known whether the gigantic palaeeudyptines constitute a monophyletic lineage, or whether gigantism was evolved independently in a much restricted Palaeeudyptinae and the Anthropornithinae – whether they were considered valid, or whether there was a wide size range present in the Palaeeudyptinae as delimited as usually done these days (i. A clade is a taxonomic group comprising a single Common ancestor and all the descendants of that ancestor e. , including Anthropornis nordenskjoeldi). Anthropornis nordenskjoeldi, or Nordenskjoeld's Giant Penguin, was a Penguin species that lived 45–37 million years ago during the Late Eocene ^[16] The oldest well-described giant penguin, the 5-foot-tall Icadyptes salasi, actually occurred as far north as northern Peru about 36 mya. Icadyptes salasi was a giant Penguin species from the late Eocene period in the tropics of South America. Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America.

In any case, the gigantic penguins had disappeared by the end of the Paleogene, around 25 mya. The Paleogene (alternatively Palaeogene) is a geologic period and system that began 65 Their decline and disappearance coincided with the spread of the Squalodontoidea and other primitive, fish-eating toothed whales, which certainly competed with them for food, and were ultimately more successful. The toothed whales ( Systematic name Odontoceti) form a Suborder of the Cetaceans including sperm whales beaked whales orca dolphins ^[15] A new lineage, the Paraptenodytes which includes smaller but decidedly stout-legged forms, had already arisen in southernmost South America by that time. Paraptenodytes is an Extinct Genus of Penguins which contains two or three Species sized between a Magellanic Penguin The early Neogene saw the emergence of yet another morphotype in the same area, the similarly-sized but more gracile Palaeospheniscinae, as well as the radiation which gave rise to the penguin biodiversity of our time. The Neogene is a geologic period and system starting 2303 ± 0 Palaeospheniscus is an Extinct Genus of Penguins which contains three Species at present Biodiversity is the variation of Life forms within a given Ecosystem, Biome or for the entire Earth.

Origin and systematics of modern penguins

Modern penguins consititute two undisputed clades and another two more basal genera with more ambiguous relationships. A clade is a taxonomic group comprising a single Common ancestor and all the descendants of that ancestor ^[14] The origin of the Spheniscinae lies probably in the latest Paleogene, and geographically it must have been much the same as the general area in which the order evolved: the oceans between the Australia-New Zealand region and the Antarctic. ^[15] Presumedly diverging from other penguins around 40 mya,^[15] it seems that the Spheniscinae were for quite some time limited to their ancestral area, as the well-researched deposits of the Antarctic Peninsula and Patagonia have not yielded Paleogene fossils of the subfamily. The Antarctic Peninsula is the northernmost part of the mainland of Antarctica, and almost the only part of that continent that extends outside the Antarctic Circle Llao LLaojpg|thumb|250px| Lake Nahuel Huapi, near Bariloche, Argentina Also, the earliest spheniscine lineages are those with the most southern distribution.

The genus Aptenodytes appears to be the basalmost divergence among living penguins; they have bright yellow-orange neck, breast, and bill patches; incubate by placing their eggs on their feet, and when they hatch the chicks are almost naked. The Genus Aptenodytes (from the Ancient Greek a /α 'without' pteno- /πτηνο- 'feather' or 'wing' and dytes /δυτης This genus has a distribution centered on the Antarctic coasts and barely extends to some subantarctic islands today.

Pygoscelis contains species with a fairly simple black-and-white head pattern; their distribution is intermediate, centered on Antarctic coasts but extending somewhat northwards from there. The genus Pygoscelis ("elbow-legged" contains three living species of Penguins collectively known as "The Brush-Tailed Penguins" In external morphology, these apparently still resemble the common ancestor of the Spheniscinae, as Aptenodytes' autapomorphies are in most cases fairly pronounced adaptations related to that genus' extreme habitat conditions. The term morphology in Biology refers to the outward appearance ( Shape, Structure, Colour, Pattern) of an Organism An autapomorphy in Cladistics is a derived trait that is unique to a given terminal group An adaptation is a characteristic of an Organism that has been favored by Natural selection and A habitat (which is Latin for "it inhabits" is an Ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular Species. As the former genus, Pygoscelis seems to have diverged during the Bartonian,^[21] but the range expansion and radiation which led to the present-day diversity probably did not occur until much later; around the Burdigalian stage of the Early Miocene, roughly 20–15 mya. Burdigalian is a Age of the early Miocene Epoch. It spans the time between 20 The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene period and extends from about 23 ^[15]

The genera Spheniscus and Eudyptula contain species with a mostly subantarctic distribution centered on South America; some, however, range quite far northwards. A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic The genus Spheniscus ("wedge-shaped" contains four living species of Penguins collectively known as "the banded penguins" due to their similar The genus Eudyptula ("good little diver" contains two species of Penguin. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a They all lack carotenoid coloration, and the former genus has a conspicuous banded head pattern; they are unique among living penguins by nesting in burrows. Carotenoids are organic Pigments that are naturally occurring in Chromoplasts of plants and some other photosynthetic Organisms This group probably radiated eastwards with the Antarctic Circumpolar Current out of the ancestral range of modern penguins throughout the Chattian (Late Oligocene), starting approximately 28 mya. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current ( ACC) is an Ocean current that flows from west to east around Antarctica. The Chattian (also known as Chickasawhayan or Late Oligocene) is the second and final of two stages of the Oligocene Epoch. ^[15] While the two genera separated during this time, the present-day diversity is the result of a Pliocene radiation, taking place some 4–2 mya. The Pliocene epoch (spelled Pleiocene in some older texts is the period in the Geologic timescale that extends ^[15]

The Megadyptes–Eudyptes clade occurs at similar latitudes (though not as far north as the Galapagos Penguin), has its highest diversity in the New Zealand region, and represent a westward dispersal. Latitude, usually denoted symbolically by the Greek letter phi ( Φ) gives the location of a place on Earth (or other planetary body north or south of the The Galápagos Penguin ( Spheniscus mendiculus) is a Penguin endemic to the Galápagos Islands. They are characterized by hairy yellow ornamental head feathers; their bills are at least partly red. These two genera diverged apparently in the Middle Miocene (Langhian, roughly 15–14 mya), but again, the living species of Eudyptes are the product of a later radiation, stretching from about the late Tortonian (Late Miocene, 8 mya) to the end of the Pliocene. Langhian is the older ICS Age of the Middle Miocene epoch. It spans the time between 15 Tortonian is a Age of the late Miocene epoch that spans the time between 11 ^[15]

The geographical and temporal pattern or spheniscine evolution corresponds closely to two episodes of global cooling documented in the paleoclimatic record. Global cooling in general can refer to an overall cooling of the Earth. Paleoclimatology (also Palaeoclimatology) is the study of Climate change taken on the scale of the entire History of Earth. ^[15]

Inside this group, penguin relationships are far less clear. Depending on the analysis and dataset, a close relationship to Ciconiiformes^[17] or to Procellariiformes^[15] has been suggested. Traditionally the order Ciconiiformes has included a variety of large long-legged wading birds with large bills Storks Herons Egrets Procellariiformes is an order of Seabirds that comprises four families: the Albatrosses procellariids, Storm-petrels and Diving Some think the penguin-like plotopterids (usually considered relatives of anhingas and cormorants) may actually be a sister group of the penguins, and that penguins may have ultimately shared a common ancestor with the Pelecaniformes and consequently would have to be included in that order, or that the plotopterids were not as close to other pelecaniforms as generally assumed, which would necessitate splitting the traditional Pelecaniformes in three. Plotopteridae is the name of an Extinct family of flightless Seabirds from the order Pelecaniformes. For the bird genus Anhinga, see Darter The Anhinga ( Anhinga anhinga) sometimes called Snakebird, The Bird family Phalacrocoracidae is represented by some 40 Species of cormorants and shags. The Pelecaniformes are an order of medium-sized and large waterbirds found worldwide ^[22]

The Auk of the Northern Hemisphere is superficially similar to penguins: they are not related to the penguins at all, but considered by some to be a product of moderate convergent evolution. This article is about a family of birds For the American ornithological journal see The Auk. Northern Hemisphere is the half of a Planet that is North of the Equator —the word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' Convergent evolution describes the acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated lineages ^[23]

Penguins and humans

Etymology

The word Penguin is thought by some to derive from the Welsh words pen (head) and gwyn (white),^[24] applied to the Great Auk which had white spots in front of its eyes (although its head was black); or from an island off Newfoundland known as Pengwyn, due to its having a large white rock. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic The Great Auk, Pinguinus impennis, formerly of the Genus Alca, is a Bird that became extinct in the mid-19th century (In the latter case, the name may also have come from Breton. The Breton language ( Brezhoneg) formerly often called Armoric or Armorican, is a Celtic language spoken by some of the inhabitants of Brittany ) This theory is supported by the fact that penguins look remarkably like Great Auks in general shape.

It is also possible that penguin comes from the Latin pinguis, “fat”. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. This is supported by the fact that the corresponding words in most other languages (e. g. , French pingouin, German Pinguin) have i instead of e as the first vowel. ^[24] However, a Welsh i is often sound-shifted to an e in the English language.

Another theory states that the word is an alteration of “pen-wing”, with reference to the rudimentary wings of both Great Auks and penguins, but there is no evidence to support this. ^[24]

What may be a King Penguin but certainly is a member of the Spheniscidae appears on a 1599 map at the Strait of Magellan with the caption "Pinguyn". Penguins ( order Sphenisciformes, family Spheniscidae) are a group of aquatic, flightless Birds living almost The Straits of Magellan (rarely referred to as the Magellanic Straits) comprise a navigable sea route immediately south of mainland Chile and north of Isla Grande The map's features are labeled in Latin, such as Fretum Magellanicum ("Strait of Magellan"). In addition, there is ample evidence that the Latin term anser magellanicus ("Goose of Magellan" or "Magellanic Goose") was the usual term for penguins in the scholarly literature of that time. If the English word was derived from Latin – e. g. avis pinguis ("fat bird") or pinguinus ("the fat one") – it must have originated considerably earlier than 1600.

In a final twist to the story, the term "Magellanic Goose" (today usually "Magellan Goose") in our time has come to denote an actual anseriform, namely a Chloephaga sheldgoose. The Magellan Goose or Upland Goose ( Chloephaga picta) is a South American member of the Duck, Goose and Swan family The order Anseriformes contains about 150 living Species of Birds in three extant families the Anhimidae (the screamers Anseranatidae Chloephaga is the sheldgeese Genus in the bird family Anatidae.

Penguins in popular culture

Main article: Penguins in popular culture

Penguins are popular around the world, primarily for their unusually upright, waddling gait and (compared to other birds) lack of fear of humans. Linux is an operating system kernel used by a family of Unix-like Operating systems These are popularly termed Linux operating systems and Penguins are popular around the world primarily for their unusually upright waddling pace their magnificent swimming ability and (compared to other birds lack of fear toward Their striking black-and-white plumage is often likened to a tuxedo suit. Black tie is a dress code for semi-formal evening events and is worn to many types of social functions Mistakenly, some artists and writers have penguins based at the North Pole. The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is subject to the caveats explained below defined as the point in the northern This is incorrect, as there are almost no wild penguins in the northern hemisphere, except the small group on the northernmost of the Galápagos. Northern Hemisphere is the half of a Planet that is North of the Equator —the word hemisphere literally means 'half ball'

Penguins have been the subject of many books and films such as Happy Feet and Surf's Up, both CGI films; March of the Penguins, a documentary based on the migration process of Emperors; and a parody entitled Farce of the Penguins. Happy Feet is an Australian -produced 2006 computer-animated Comedy-drama musical Film, directed and co-written Surf's Up is a 2007 American Academy Award -nominated computer-animated Mockumentary Film produced by Sony Pictures March of the Penguins ( French: La Marche de l'empereur; literally The Emperor's March) is a commercially and critically successful Farce of the Penguins is a 2007 direct-to-DVD Parody film of the 2005 documentary March of the Penguins Penguins have also found their way into a number of cartoons and television dramas; perhaps the most notable of these is Pingu, created by Silvio Mazzola in 1986 and covering more than 100 short episodes. Pingu is a Swiss animated television series created by Otmar Gutman about a family of Penguins who live at the South Pole. Silvio Mazzola is a Swiss television writer of Italian ancestry

In the mid-2000s, penguins became one of the most publicised species of animals that formed lasting homosexual couples.

Species photographs

Photographs of the adults of living species are show:

Aptenodytes, Great penguins (2 species)

Emperor Penguins Aptenodytes forsteri

King Penguins Aptenodytes patagonicus

Pygoscelis, Brush-tailed penguins (3 species)

Chinstrap Penguin Pygoscelis antarctica

Gentoo Penguin Pygoscelis papua

Adelie Penguin Pygoscelis adeliae

Eudyptula, Little penguins (1 or 2 species)

Little Penguin or Fairy Penguin Eudyptula minor

White-flippered Penguin Eudyptula albosignata

Spheniscus, Banded penguins (4 species)

African Penguin or Jackass Penguin Spheniscus demersus

Galapagos Penguins Spheniscus mendiculus

Humboldt Penguin Spheniscus humboldti

Magellanic Penguin Spheniscus magellanicus

Megadyptes, Yellow-eyed Penguin

Yellow-eyed Penguin Megadyptes antipodes

Eudyptes, Crested penguins (6–8 living species)

Royal Penguin Eudyptes schlegeli	Southern Rockhopper Penguin Eudyptes chrysocome	Fiordland Penguin Eudyptes pachyrhynchus	Snares Penguin Eudyptes robustus
Macaroni Penguin Eudyptes chrysolophus

General gallery

Macaroni penguin at South Georgia Island

Chinstrap Penguin feeding a chick in Antarctica

Adélie chicks in Antarctica

Southern Elephant Seal and King Penguins

References

Footnotes

Bibliography

External links

• Penguin World
• penguinpage.net - Penguin research projects on the web
• Penguin information on 70South
• Information about penguins at pinguins.info
• PBS Nature: The World of Penguins
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System
• Seaworld Penguin Information
• Penguin Videos on the Internet Bird Collection

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