On these pages you will find some information about the evolution of Penguins.  Although many penguin fossils have been found around the Southern hemisphere, little is known about the transition from flighted birds to the modern flightless penguins.

It is generally agreed amongst biologists and archeologists that penguins evolved, somewhere in the Southern hemisphere, from a flying ancestor around 140,000,000 to 65,000,000 years ago.  The common ancestor is assumed to have been somewhat similar to a modern-day diving petrel, or auk in appearance and behaviour.  In the 1930's it was mooted that the evolution of penguins occured before the development of flight in birds; however, this suggestion is largely discounted these days.

The fossil evidence is rather sparse and no intermediate species between a flying ancestor and the flightless pengiuns has ever been discovered.  accordingly many authors take the view that speciation was very rapid as the penguins developed with many distinct species appearing in a relatively short period around 50 to 100 million years ago.

The closest flying relatives of the penguins today are the Procellaridae (the Albatross and Petrels) and the Gaviidae (the Divers).

The diagram indicates, very crudely, the relationships between the penguins.
 
 

Guide to Pete & Barb's Penguin Pages
Front Page and Introduction · Descriptions of the Penguins · Detailed Species Notes · Breeding Behaviour · Common questions · Penguin Goodies · Penguin Bibliography · Good Penguin Guide · Photo Index · Links to other penguin sites · 'Penguin-balls' · Endangered Penguins ·
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