Original photo by charliebishop/ iStock
We hate to break it to you penguin lovers, but those flightless birds we know and adore aren’t actually penguins — in fact, there are no true penguins left anymore. The term “penguin” was originally used as an alternative name for the great auk, whose binomial name is Pinguinus impennis, meaning “plump or fat without feathers.” Great auks sadly went extinct more than 180 years ago. The birds we call penguins today aren’t closely related to those original penguins at all. They belong to the Spheniscidae family rather than Alcidae, and the Sphenisciformes order rather than Charadriiformes, which is to say that puffins, guillemots, and other auks are more closely related to actual penguins than today’s penguins are.
Oops, incorrect!
It's a factPenguin wings are short, stiff, and fused straight in such a way that they’re unable to fold. Their strength and rigidity has earned more comparisons to flippers rather than conventional wings.
It’s believed that everyone’s favorite Antarctica residents got their name from errant sailors who called them penguins simply because of their strong resemblance to the great auk. Both species are flightless yet excellent swimmers, with black backs, white bellies, an upright stance, and webbed feet. Pinguinus impennis lived in the coastal waters of the North Atlantic and could be found everywhere from the East Coast of the United States to the western shores of Europe, as well as Iceland and Greenland. They went extinct for the same reason that many other species did: People liked the way they tasted and were careless, even cruel, in their treatment.
Numbers Don't Lie
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The most abundant penguin species in the world is the ______.
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The most abundant penguin species in the world is the macaroni penguin.
Several penguin species mate for life.
Among those penguins that choose one partner and stick with them through thick and thin are the macaroni, gentoo, Adélie, and Magellanic penguins. Others, such as the mighty emperor, stick with one mate per breeding season. Monogamy isn’t the only romantic practice among gentoos, either: Males have been known to offer rocks and pebbles to females as a courtship ritual. Only the smoothest, shiniest stones will do, and the bachelor in question also has to first ensure their would-be mate is single.
Michael Nordine is a writer and editor living in Denver. A native Angeleno, he has two cats and wishes he had more.
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