Eudyptula

Taxobox
name = "Eudyptula"

---

image_width = 240px
image_caption = "Eudyptula minor"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
subphylum = Vertebrata
classis = Aves
ordo = Sphenisciformes
familia = Spheniscidae
genus = "Eudyptula"
genus_authority = Bonaparte, 1856
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = "Eudyptula minor"
"Eudyptula albosignata"

The genus "Eudyptula" ("good little diver") contains two species of penguin. It is found in southern Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand and the Chatham Islands.

"Eudyptula minor" is commonly known as the Little Penguin, Little Blue Penguin, or Fairy Penguin. In the language of the Māori people of New Zealand, Little Blue Penguins are known as "kororaa".

Some scientists consider a white-flippered version of the Little Blue Penguin to be a separate species, but some would consider it a sub-species; others think the characteristic falls within the bounds of normal local variation. Interestingly, mtDNA analysis suggests that there are indeed 2 species involved: a western one which evolved in Australia and comparatively recently colonized New Zealand's South Island, and a purely New Zealand one. The White-flippered Penguin could be classified as one of up to 4 subspecies of the New Zealand species. More data is required, however, to resolve the taxonomy (Banks "et al.", 2002).

Classification

ORDER SPHENISCIFORMES
* Family Spheniscidae
** Genus Eudyptula
*** Little Blue Penguin (or Fairy Penguin), "Eudyptula minor"
*** Northern Little Penguin, "Eudyptula albosignata" (provisional)
**** White-flippered Penguin, "Eudyptula albosignata albosignata"

References

* Banks, Jonathan C.; Mitchell, Anthony D.; Waas, Joseph R. & Paterson, Adrian M. (2002): An unexpected pattern of molecular divergence within the blue penguin ("Eudyptula minor") complex. "Notornis" 49(1): 29–38. [http://www.notornis.org.nz/free_issues/Notornis_49-2002/Notornis_49_1_29.pdf PDF fulltext]