Aptenodytes
Genus of birds
- 1 min read
- 3 chapters
Related on Lably
Etymology
The name "Aptenodytes" is a composite of Ancient Greek elements, "ἀ-πτηνο-δύτης" (without-wings-diver).
Sign in to keep reading
2 more chapters are free with a Lably account.
Taxonomy
- King penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus
- Aptenodytes patagonicus patagonicus
- Aptenodytes patagonicus halli
- Emperor penguin, Aptenodytes forsteri
- †Ridgen's penguin, Aptenodytes ridgeni, an extinct species known from fossil bones of Early or Late Pliocene age.
Combined morphological and molecular data have shown the genus Aptenodytes to be basal to all other living penguins, that is, the genus split off from a branch which led to all other species. DNA evidence suggests this split occurred around 40 million years ago. This had been foreshadowed by an attempt to classify penguins by their behavior, which also predicted the genus' basal nature.
Species
Two species are extant:
More in Animals
Monotypic taxonTaxonomic group with only one subordinate taxonSpecies descriptionFormal description of a discovered speciesParaphylyType of taxonomic groupIUCN Red ListInventory of the global conservation status of biological speciesSubtropicsGeographic and climate zoneCommon nameName generally used for a taxon, group of taxa or organism(s)