Pygoscelis
Encyclopedia
The genus Pygoscelis contains three living species of penguin
s collectively known as "The Brush-Tailed Penguins". Their appearance - black above, white below - is the stereotypical image of penguins, and so what most people think of when they think of penguins.
DNA
evidence suggests the genus split from other penguins around 38 million years ago, about 2 million years after the ancestors of the genus Aptenodytes
. In turn, the Adelie Penguins split off from the other members of the genus around 19 million years ago.
The three extant species are:
Extinct species:
The latter two are tentatively assigned to this genus.
Penguin
Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers...
s collectively known as "The Brush-Tailed Penguins". Their appearance - black above, white below - is the stereotypical image of penguins, and so what most people think of when they think of penguins.
Taxonomy
Mitochondrial and nuclearCell nucleus
In cell biology, the nucleus is a membrane-enclosed organelle found in eukaryotic cells. It contains most of the cell's genetic material, organized as multiple long linear DNA molecules in complex with a large variety of proteins, such as histones, to form chromosomes. The genes within these...
DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
evidence suggests the genus split from other penguins around 38 million years ago, about 2 million years after the ancestors of the genus Aptenodytes
Aptenodytes
The genus Aptenodytes contains two extant species of penguins collectively known as "the great penguins".-Taxonomy:...
. In turn, the Adelie Penguins split off from the other members of the genus around 19 million years ago.
The three extant species are:
- Adélie PenguinAdelie PenguinThe Adélie Penguin, Pygoscelis adeliae, is a species of penguin common along the entire Antarctic coast. They are among the most southerly distributed of all seabirds, as are the Emperor Penguin, the South Polar Skua, the Wilson's Storm Petrel, the Snow Petrel, and the Antarctic Petrel...
, Pygoscelis adeliae - Chinstrap PenguinChinstrap PenguinThe Chinstrap Penguin is a species of penguin which is found in the South Sandwich Islands, Antarctica, the South Orkneys, South Shetland, South Georgia, Bouvet Island and Balleny...
, Pygoscelis antarctica - Gentoo PenguinGentoo penguinThe Gentoo Penguin , Pygoscelis papua, is easily recognized by the wide white stripe extending like a bonnet across the top of its head and its bright orange-red bill. The gentoo penguin has pale whitish-pink webbed feet and a fairly long tail - the most prominent tail of all penguins. Chicks have...
, Pygoscelis papua
Extinct species:
- Pygoscelis grandis (Bahía Inglesa Formation, Late Miocene/Early Pliocene of Bahía Inglesa, Chile)
- Pygoscelis calderensis (Bahía Inglesa Formation, Late Miocene of Bahía Inglesa, Chile)
- Pygoscelis tyreeiPygoscelis tyreeiPygoscelis tyreei is an extinct species of penguin from New Zealand. It was slightly smaller than the extant Gentoo Penguin, standing 70 to 80 cm high. Of Late Pliocene age, it is only known from fossil remains....
(Pliocene of New Zealand)
The latter two are tentatively assigned to this genus.