Palaeeudyptes klekowskii explained
Palaeeudyptes klekowskii is an extinct species of the penguin genus Palaeeudyptes. It was previously thought to have been approximately the size of its congener Palaeeudyptes antarcticus, somewhat larger than the modern emperor penguin, but a 2014 study showed it was in fact almost twice as tall, earning it the nickname “Mega Penguin”.[1] [2] Its maximum length is estimated to be up to 2m (07feet) and maximum body mass up to 116kg (256lb).[3] Knowledge of it comes from an extensive collection of fossil bones from the Late Eocene (34-37 MYA) of the La Meseta Formation on Seymour Island, Antarctica.[4] [5] P. klekowskii was at first not recognized as a distinct species, and despite the coexistence of two so closely related species of similar size as Palaeeudyptes gunnari and P. klekowskii seeming somewhat improbable, the amount of fossil material suggests that the two species are indeed diagnosably different.
References
- Jadwiszczak, Piotr (2006): Eocene penguins of Seymour Island, Antarctica: Taxonomy. Polish Polar Research 27(1): 3–62. PDF fulltext
- Myrcha, Andrzej; Jadwiszczak, Piotr; Tambussi, Claudia P.; Noriega, Jorge I.; Gaździcki, Andrzej; Tatur, Andrzej & Del Valle, Rodolfo A. (2002): Taxonomic revision of Eocene Antarctic penguins based on tarsometatarsal morphology. Polish Polar Research 23(1): 5–46. PDf fulltext
- Myrcha, Andrzej; Tatur, Andrzej & Del Valle, Rodolfo A. (1990) A new species of fossil penguin from Seymour Island, West Antarctica. Alcheringa 14: 195–205.
Notes and References
- Web site: Trending science: The giant prehistoric penguin. EU CORDIS. 7 August 2014. 26 September 2020.
- 10.1016/j.geobios.2014.03.003. Palaeeudyptes klekowskii, the best-preserved penguin skeleton from the Eocene–Oligocene of Antarctica: Taxonomic and evolutionary remarks. Hospitaleche. Carolina Acosta. Reguero. Marcelo. Geobios. Elsevier. 47. 3. 2014. 77–85. 2014Geobi..47...77A . 26 September 2020. 11336/31413. free.
- Hospitaleche. Carolina A.. 2014. New giant penguin bones from Antarctica: Systematic and paleobiological significance. Comptes Rendus Palevol. 13. 7. 555–560. 10.1016/j.crpv.2014.03.008. 2014CRPal..13..555A . free. 11336/32571. free.
- Web site: Extinct mega penguin was tallest and heaviest ever. 1 August 2014. Hecht. Jeff. New Scientist. 26 September 2020.
- New giant penguin bones from Antarctica: Systematic and paleobiological significance. Hospitaleche. Carolina Acosta. Comptes Rendus Palevol. Elsevier. 13. 7. October 2014. 555–560. 10.1016/j.crpv.2014.03.008. 2014CRPal..13..555A . free. 11336/32571. free.
