Penguin
Spheniscidae sp.
Where is it found?
Coasts in the southern hemisphere
Diet and foraging method
|
Penguins hunt for their dinner and often have to dive down into the ocean in search of prey.
|
Key adpatations
Coloured dark on their backs and white on their front to provide camouflage against predators in both the air and sea.
Streamlined (fusiform) body shape and modified wings - flippers - allows for superb speed and agility in the water, but they can't fly.
Streamlined (fusiform) body shape and modified wings - flippers - allows for superb speed and agility in the water, but they can't fly.
Social organisation and mating system
Live in colonies
|
|
|
Socially monogamous breeding system, but some species are promiscuous and extra-pair copulations occur in exchange for nesting materials from the male.
Did you know that...?
Male Penguins incubate a single egg on their feet for 65 days while the female goes out to sea to feed. By the end of this time, males lose up to 45% of their body mass.
Penguins huddle together for warmth and frequently move around to ensure the penguins on the edge of the group don't get too cold.
Penguins huddle together for warmth and frequently move around to ensure the penguins on the edge of the group don't get too cold.
Taxonomy
Sources
Hunter, F. M., & Davis, L. S. (1998). Female Adelie penguins acquire nest material from extrapair males after engaging in extrapair copulations. The Auk, 526-528.
http://earthsky.org/earth/male-penguin-eggs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penguin
http://www.arkive.org/
Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
Emperor penguin image: "Emperor-call hg" by Hannes Grobe/AWI - Own work. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Emperor-call_hg.jpg#/media/File:Emperor-call_hg.jpg
King penguin: "Falkland Islands Penguins 40" by Ben Tubby - flickr.com. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Falkland_Islands_Penguins_40.jpg#/media/File:Falkland_Islands_Penguins_40.jpg
Northern Rockhopper Penguin: "Northern Rockhopper Penguin on Inaccessible Island" by Brian Gratwicke from DC, USA - Northern Rockhopper Penguin on Inaccessible islandUploaded by RaviC. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Northern_Rockhopper_Penguin_on_Inaccessible_Island.jpg#/media/File:Northern_Rockhopper_Penguin_on_Inaccessible_Island.jpg
Gentoo Penguin: "Pygoscelis papua -Frankfurt Zoo -swimming-8" by Martin Fisch from Wiesbaden, Germany - flying birdUploaded by snowmanradio. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pygoscelis_papua_-Frankfurt_Zoo_-swimming-8.jpg#/media/File:Pygoscelis_papua_-Frankfurt_Zoo_-swimming-8.jpg
http://earthsky.org/earth/male-penguin-eggs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penguin
http://www.arkive.org/
Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
Emperor penguin image: "Emperor-call hg" by Hannes Grobe/AWI - Own work. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Emperor-call_hg.jpg#/media/File:Emperor-call_hg.jpg
King penguin: "Falkland Islands Penguins 40" by Ben Tubby - flickr.com. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Falkland_Islands_Penguins_40.jpg#/media/File:Falkland_Islands_Penguins_40.jpg
Northern Rockhopper Penguin: "Northern Rockhopper Penguin on Inaccessible Island" by Brian Gratwicke from DC, USA - Northern Rockhopper Penguin on Inaccessible islandUploaded by RaviC. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Northern_Rockhopper_Penguin_on_Inaccessible_Island.jpg#/media/File:Northern_Rockhopper_Penguin_on_Inaccessible_Island.jpg
Gentoo Penguin: "Pygoscelis papua -Frankfurt Zoo -swimming-8" by Martin Fisch from Wiesbaden, Germany - flying birdUploaded by snowmanradio. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pygoscelis_papua_-Frankfurt_Zoo_-swimming-8.jpg#/media/File:Pygoscelis_papua_-Frankfurt_Zoo_-swimming-8.jpg
