Ridgen's Penguin
Encyclopedia
Aptenodytes ridgeni, occasionally called Ridgen's Penguin, is an extinct species
of penguin
from the Early (possibly Late) Pliocene
of New Zealand
. It was intermediate in size between its living congeners
, standing an estimated 90–100 cm tall.
Remains were first found in 1968 on a Canterbury region beach by 11-year-old schoolboy Alan Ridgen.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of penguin
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...
from the Early (possibly Late) Pliocene
Pliocene
The Pliocene Epoch is the period in the geologic timescale that extends from 5.332 million to 2.588 million years before present. It is the second and youngest epoch of the Neogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Pliocene follows the Miocene Epoch and is followed by the Pleistocene Epoch...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It was intermediate in size between its living congeners
Aptenodytes
The genus Aptenodytes contains two extant species of penguins collectively known as "the great penguins".-Taxonomy:...
, standing an estimated 90–100 cm tall.
Remains were first found in 1968 on a Canterbury region beach by 11-year-old schoolboy Alan Ridgen.