Archaeospheniscus lopdelli
Encyclopedia
Lopdell's Penguin was the largest species
of the extinct penguin
genus
Archaeospheniscus, standing about 90-120 cm high, or somewhat less than the extant Emperor Penguin
. It is only known from bones of a single individual (Otago Museum
C.47.21) which was found in the Late Oligocene
Kokoamu Greensand Formation (27-28 MYA) at Duntroon, New Zealand
. Bones apparently belonging to this species are now also known from the Late Eocene
La Meseta Formation (34-37 MYA) on Seymour Island
, Antarctica (Tambussi et al., 2006).
As the bird is not very well distinguished except in size from its contemporary congener Archaeospheniscus lowei
and the size range, an estimated 85-120 cm, is in the upper range of the variation found in modern penguins, it is probable that A. lopdelli is a synonym of A. lowelli. As the recent finds in Antarctica suggest, this is far from certain, however, and there remains much to be learned about the systematics and biogeography
of the two larger Archaeospheniscus species.
The species' binomen
honors J. C. Lopdell, who assisted Marples in recovering the fossils of this bird and others found in the Duntroon excavations.
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 the extinct 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...
genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Archaeospheniscus, standing about 90-120 cm high, or somewhat less than the extant Emperor Penguin
Emperor Penguin
The Emperor Penguin is the tallest and heaviest of all living penguin species and is endemic to Antarctica. The male and female are similar in plumage and size, reaching in height and weighing anywhere from . The dorsal side and head are black and sharply delineated from the white belly,...
. It is only known from bones of a single individual (Otago Museum
Otago museum
The Otago Museum is situated in Dunedin, New Zealand. It was founded in 1868 and has a collection of over two million artefacts and specimens from the fields of natural history and ethnography...
C.47.21) which was found in the Late Oligocene
Oligocene
The Oligocene is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene Period and extends from about 34 million to 23 million years before the present . As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the period are well identified but the exact dates of the start and end of the period are slightly...
Kokoamu Greensand Formation (27-28 MYA) at Duntroon, New Zealand
Duntroon, New Zealand
Duntroon is a small farming town in the Waitaki District of New Zealand's South Island. Although traditionally considered a North Otago town, it is presently officially located within the farthest southern reaches of Canterbury...
. Bones apparently belonging to this species are now also known from the Late Eocene
Eocene
The Eocene Epoch, lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago , is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Palaeocene Epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene Epoch. The start of the...
La Meseta Formation (34-37 MYA) on Seymour Island
Seymour Island
Seymour Island is an island in the chain of 16 major islands around the tip of the Graham Land on the Antarctic Peninsula. Graham Land is closer to continental land mass than any other part of that Antarctica. It lies within the section of the island chain that resides off the west side of the...
, Antarctica (Tambussi et al., 2006).
As the bird is not very well distinguished except in size from its contemporary congener Archaeospheniscus lowei
Archaeospheniscus lowei
Lowe's Penguin is the type species of the extinct penguin genus Archaeospheniscus. It stood approximately 85-115 cm high, between a modern King Penguin and an Emperor Penguin in size...
and the size range, an estimated 85-120 cm, is in the upper range of the variation found in modern penguins, it is probable that A. lopdelli is a synonym of A. lowelli. As the recent finds in Antarctica suggest, this is far from certain, however, and there remains much to be learned about the systematics and biogeography
Biogeography
Biogeography is the study of the distribution of species , organisms, and ecosystems in space and through geological time. Organisms and biological communities vary in a highly regular fashion along geographic gradients of latitude, elevation, isolation and habitat area...
of the two larger Archaeospheniscus species.
The species' binomen
Binomen
In zoological nomenclature, a binomen , is the two-part name of a species. The term was introduced in 1953, abolishing the previously used "binomial name" . A binomen consists of a generic name and a specific epithet...
honors J. C. Lopdell, who assisted Marples in recovering the fossils of this bird and others found in the Duntroon excavations.