According to an international study published in the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, a tiny fossil penguin is crucial to understanding bird evolution. The new species, Pakudyptes Hakata ramen, lived in Otago 24 million years ago and was about the size of the little blue penguin.
Lead author Dr. Tatsuro Ando, now at the Ashoro Museum of Paleontology in Japan, worked with researchers from University of Otago, Okayama University of Science, and Osaka University. Inspired by discussions with the late Professor Ewan Fordyce, they analyzed three bones (humerus, femur, and ulna) found by Professor Fordyce in the Hakataramea Valley, South Canterbury.
Dr. Ando said, “Pakudyptes fills a gap between modern and ancient penguins. The shape of the wing bones differed significantly, and how penguin wings evolved was unclear.“
The humerus and ulna show how penguin wings have changed. Interestingly, Pakudyptes has shoulder joints like modern penguins but elbow joints like older fossil penguins. It’s the first fossil with this mix and is key to understanding penguin wing evolution.
Co-author Dr. Carolina Loch from Otago’s Faculty of Dentistry said “bone analysis shows Pakudyptes had diving features similar to modern penguins. Modern penguins swim well due to their dense bones. Pakudyptes had a thick bone cortex and open medullary cavity, like the little blue penguin.”
This combination of bones helped Pakudyptes dive and swim. Muscle and ligament attachment points on bones like the humerus and ulna show how the wings were used underwater. Fossil penguins were usually about 1m tall, and Pakudyptes’ small size and unique bones added to the ecological diversity of modern penguins.
The study concludes that the Pakudyptes fossil is crucial for understanding penguin wing evolution. It shows a unique mix of modern and ancient features, helping scientists see how penguins’ wings developed for diving and swimming. This discovery fills an essential gap in the evolutionary history of penguins.
Journal reference :
- Tatsuro Ando, Jeffrey Robinson, et al., A new tiny fossil penguin from the Late Oligocene of New Zealand and the morphofunctional transition of the penguin wing. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. DOI:10.1080/03036758.2024.2362283.