Penguin evolution essay

The early fossil remains of penguins indicates that they are at least 60 million years old. They also indicate at least 40 species that are already extinct. It is very interesting to explore the various theories about the evolution of penguins.

Genetic analyses indicate that members of the Spheniscidae family, the present penguins, evolved from non-flying birds whose ancestors were very different from what we could imagine. Their basal ancestor, the first to separate from other groups of birds, lived 71-68 million years ago, although this period can extend to 40-100 million years.

About 40-25 million years ago, penguins were already hot-blooded predators of fish, squid, and krill. The number of species was formerly much greater than is now, as several became extinct over time because they did not adapt to new environmental conditions, competition with cetaceans for food or other reasons.

The Evolution of Penguins. The flightless cormorant on the Galapagos, with its pathetically stunted wings, appears to have descended from mainland birds capable of flight, later becoming adapted to flightlessness on the islands where swimming was sufficient for survival. This is a similar kind of “evolution” to that of blind cave fish,...