Macaroni Penguin

Taxobox
name = Macaroni Penguin
status = VU | status_system = IUCN3.1


trend = down
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Sphenisciformes
familia = Spheniscidae
genus = "Eudyptes"
species = "E. chrysolophus"
binomial = "Eudyptes chrysolophus"
binomial_authority = (Brandt, 1837)

The Macaroni Penguin ("Eudyptes chrysolophus") is a species of penguin of the genus "Eudyptes" closely related to the Royal Penguin. The Macaroni Penguin is the most abundant among all the world's penguins in terms of numbers, with about 12 million pairs in existence. The population of Macaroni Penguins, however, is decreasing. Adult Macaroni Penguins average about 11 pounds in weight and average 25 inches in height. They are usually distinguished by yellow and black plumes on the top of their heads.

Taxonomy

The Macaroni Penguin was described in 1837 by German naturalist Johann Friedrich von Brandt. Its specific name is derived from the Ancient Greek words "chryso-" "golden", and "lophos" "crest" or "tuft of hair".cite book | author = Liddell, Henry George and Robert Scott | year = 1980 | title = A Greek-English Lexicon (Abridged Edition) | publisher = Oxford University Press | location = United Kingdom | isbn = 0-19-910207-4]

The common name was given to the species by English explorers, probably due to the bird's conspicuous yellow crest. Maccaronism was a term for a particular style in 18th century England marked by flamboyant or excessive ornamentation. A person who adopted this fashion was labeled a "maccaroni" or "macaroni", as in the song "Yankee Doodle".

Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA evidence suggests the Macaroni Penguin split from its closest relative, the Royal Penguin, around 1.5 million years ago. [cite journal |author=Baker AJ, Pereira SL, Haddrath OP, Edge KA|year=2006|title=Multiple gene evidence for expansion of extant penguins out of Antarctica due to global cooling |journal=Proc Biol Sci. |volume=273 |issue=1582|pages=11–17|doi=10.1098/rspb.2005.3260 |url=http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1560011 |accessdate=2008-03-21|pmid=16519228] The Macaroni Penguin and Royal Penguin are similar in looks, although the Macaroni penguins have black faces, while Royal Penguins tend to have white faces.

Description

Ranging from 3.2 to 6.1 kg (7-14.1 lbs) and from 51 to 77 cm (20-30 in) [http://www.answers.com/topic/macaroni-penguin] [http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/Animal-Bytes/animalia/eumetazoa/coelomates/deuterostomes/chordata/craniata/aves/sphenisciformes/macaroni-penguin.htm] , the Macaroni Penguin has a white belly and breast, and sharply delineated black upperparts. Like other members of the genus "Eudyptes", it has yellow and black plumes on the top of its head and red eyes. Like all penguins, they swim efficiently but cannot fly.

Distribution and habitat

Macaroni Penguins are distributed from the sub-Antarctic to the Antarctic Peninsula. They are found on the more southern of the Antarctic islands, unlike most crested penguins. Breeding colonies are found on the Antarctic Peninsula, islands around Cape Horn, Falklands, South Georgia, South Sandwich, South Orkney, South Shetland, Bouvetøya, Prince Edward, Marion, Crozet, Kerguelen, Heard Island and Macquarie Island. Colonies are also located on the small islands off the southern tips of South America and Africa.

Behaviour

Diet

The diet of a macaroni penguin consists of mainly euphausiids, a type of krill. Most often, they will dive to depths of more than 20 meters to find food. [ cite journal|title=Foraging ecology and diving behaviour of Macaroni Penguins Eudyptes chrysolophus at Heard Island|journal=Marine Ornithology|date=1997-05-07|first=K.|last=Green|coauthors=R. WIlliams, M.G. Green|volume=26|issue=|pages=27-34|id= |url=http://www.marineornithology.org/PDF/26/26_5.pdf|format=|accessdate=2008-10-06 ]

Reproduction

Macaroni penguins build nests by scraping shallow holes in the ground. Fertile Macroni Penguins lay two eggs. The first egg laid is smaller and less likely to hatch. It is often ignored by the penguin and usually eaten by predators, such as other birds called skuas. It may also be lost to predators and fighting that occurs in the colonies. The second egg is larger and more likely to hatch. The incubation, keeping the egg warm, is done by both male and female in long shifts. The second egg hatches around 34 days after it is laid.

Early Life

The male cares for the newly hatched chick for about 3 weeks, or 23 to 25 days. The female brings food to the chick daily. At this early stage, chicks have not grown their adult feathers, so they form groups with other chicks in order to keep warm and stay protected. Once they have their adult feathers, at about 60 to 70 days, they are ready to go out on their own.

References