Royal Penguin

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


trend = stable
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Sphenisciformes
familia = Spheniscidae
genus = "Eudyptes"
species = "E. schlegeli"
binomial = "Eudyptes schlegeli"
binomial_authority = Finsch, 1876

The Royal Penguin "(Eudyptes schlegeli)" inhabits the waters surrounding Antarctica. Royals look very much like Macaroni Penguins, but have a white face and chin instead of the Macaronis' black visage. They are about 70 cm (28 in) long and weigh about 6 kg (13 lb). Royal penguins breed only on Macquarie Island and, like other penguins, spend much of their time at sea, where they are assumed to be pelagic. They are not to be confused with the similar named king penguin or emperor penguin.

There is some controversy over whether Royal penguins are a sub-species of Macaroni penguins. Individuals of the two groups have been known to interbreed, though this is a relatively rare occurrence. Indeed, other penguins have been known to form mixed-species pairs in the wild.

Royal Penguins nest on beaches or on bare areas on slopes covered with vegetation. Like most seabirds they are colonial, nesting in scrapes on the ground up to a mile inland. The breeding season begins in September with laying starting in October. Two eggs are incubated for 35 days, with each incubation stint lasting up to two weeks. After brooding the chick for three weeks, both parents forage at sea while the chicks form large creches. The chicks fledge after two months. Young adults usually return to the colony to breed after six years.

Royal Penguins feed on krill, fish, and small amounts of squid. They build their nest by making a shallow hole in the sand or in a weeded area. They put plants and stones inside the nest. Most of the time, two eggs are often laid, however, only one survives. The egg is kept warm by both parents for 35 days. This is done by rotating 12 day shifts. After hatching, the male watches out for the chick for 10 to 20 days and the female brings food for both of them. Around 20 days, the chicks will form a home for warmth and safety. The parents continue to feed it 2 to 3 times a day. When the chick is about 65 days old it will have its adult feathers and goes on its own.

Royal Penguins are not considered threatened; historically they were harvested for their oil, between 1870 and 1919 the government of Tasmania issuing licences for hunting them, with an average 150,000 penguins (both Royal and King) being taken each year. Since the end of penguin hunting on Macquarie the numbers have climbed to 850,000 pairs.

The scientific name commemorates the German zoologist Hermann Schlegel.

Phylogeny of the Royal Penguin

The Royal penguin ("Eudyptes schlegeli") of the family Spheniscidae, diverged from water birds approximately 60 million years ago. The "Eudyptes schlegeli" is part of the genus Eudyptula which contains six living species of penguins collectively known as crested penguins, which the royal penguin is equally related to. A well known species of the Eudyptulas are the Fairy Penguins, at Phillip Island, southern coast of Victoria, Australia. The Royal Penguin is closely related to flying birds such as gannets, storks, cranes, herons, ibises. And then they are distantly related to Hawks, Owls, Toucans, Woodpeckers and Hummingbirds.

Homology and Analogy

Royal Penguins have flippers that are homologous to the forearms of primates as they have the same basic plan. Both have one upper arm bone, two lower arm bones (radius and ulna), then carpals, metacarpals, and phalanges. While primates’ use their forearms for picking up things and moving things, penguins use theirs for swimming. The fact that they have the same fundamental structure, suggests that primates and penguins have evolved from a common ancestor that had a limb of the same structure.The flippers of the royal penguin are analogous to the flippers of whales and dolphins. While each have the same feature and they have the same use, that is to swim through the water, they have independently evolved this feature as they are not closely related.

References

* Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is vulnerable and the criteria used.

* del Hoyo,J., Elliot, A., Sargatal, J., eds (1992) Handbook of the Birds of the World, Volume One Ostritch to Ducks, ISBN 84-87334-10-5

External links

* [http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/search/species_search.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=3858&m=0 BirdLife Species Factsheet.]
*ARKive - [http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/birds/Eudyptes_schlegeli/ images and movies of the royal penguin "(Eudyptes schlegeli)"]
* [http://www.antdiv.gov.au/default.asp?casid=2404 Australian Antarctic Division: Unusual Penguins] Contains picture of mixed species pairs and hybrid individual penguins.
* [http://www.pinguins.info www.pinguins.info : information about all species of penguins]