Great penguins

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Great penguins
King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus)

King penguins ( Aptenodytes patagonicus )

Systematics
Sub-stem : Vertebrates (vertebrata)
Row : Land vertebrates (Tetrapoda)
Class : Birds (aves)
Order : Penguins (Sphenisciformes)
Family : Penguins (Spheniscidae)
Genre : Great penguins
Scientific name
Aptenodytes
JF Miller , 1778
Emperor penguins with young birds

The great penguins ( Aptenodytes ) are a genus of birds within the penguin family (Spheniscidae). The scientific name Aptenodytes is derived from the Greek and roughly means "wingless diver".

Position in the penguin family

The penguins, which are grouped under the genus of the great penguins, are the penguins most familiar to the public. Their black and white plumage and their distinctive yellow-orange neck markings are so well known that they shaped the idea of ​​the “typical” penguin look worldwide. Numerous documentaries about the species of the great penguins contributed to the level of awareness. The film The Journey of the Penguins , which addresses the brood care of the emperor penguins , was awarded an Oscar in 2006, as was the animated film Happy Feet .

In reality, however, the penguins of the genus of the great penguins are far from what can perhaps be considered the basic blueprint of a penguin. The two large penguin species are much larger and heavier than the other penguin species. A fully grown king penguin reaches a body length between 85 and 95 centimeters and weighs between 10 and 16 kilograms. The emperor penguin is between 100 and 130 centimeters tall and weighs between 22 and 37 kilograms. In addition, they are the only penguins that do not build nests , but hatch their eggs in a special brood fold on the belly.

species

Distribution of the great penguins
  • Aptenodytes forsteri
  • Aptenodytes patagonicus patagonicus
  • Aptenodytes patagonicus halli
  • Aptenodytes ridgeni †
  • Breeding areas

    • Only two of the 18 penguin species are grouped together in the genus Aptenodytes . These are the emperor penguin ( Aptenodytes forsteri ) and the somewhat smaller king penguin ( Aptenodytes patagonicus ). The IUCN currently classifies the king penguin as least concern , whereas the emperor penguin is now classified as slightly endangered.

    literature

    • Tony D. Williams: The Penguins . Oxford University Press, Oxford 1995, ISBN 0-19854-667-X .

    Web links

    Commons : Aptenodytes  - collection of images, videos and audio files

    Individual evidence

    1. ^ Williams, p. 143.
    2. ^ Williams, p. 153.
    3. ↑ BirdLife Factsheet on the King Penguin , accessed April 25, 2016
    4. ↑ BirdLife Factsheet on the Emperor Penguin , accessed April 25, 2016