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Little Penguin (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Daniel Philippe
- Start date
Richard Klim
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Miyazaki 2015
Miyazaki 2015. Differences in morphometric characters between little penguins (Eudyptula minor) in Oamaru and on Tiritiri Matangi Island. Notornis 62(3): 169–171. [citation]
Martinez et al 2013 (HBW Alive): 6 sspp.
Flemming 2013 (NZ Birds Online): monotypic.
Miyazaki 2015. Differences in morphometric characters between little penguins (Eudyptula minor) in Oamaru and on Tiritiri Matangi Island. Notornis 62(3): 169–171. [citation]
Martinez et al 2013 (HBW Alive): 6 sspp.
Flemming 2013 (NZ Birds Online): monotypic.
Last edited:
Peter Kovalik
Well-known member
Melanie
Well-known member
A team of researchers from New Zealand's University of Otago and the University of Tasmania has discovered that Australian and New Zealand little penguins represent two distinct species, rather than one.
Scientists had previously wondered about the relationships between populations of the penguin (popularly known as little blue penguins or fairy penguins) found on either side of the Tasman. The trans-Tasman team used genetic techniques to compare populations from both countries, and surprisingly found that they are not the same species.
"We found a very strong pattern, where New Zealand has its own distinctive genetic group that is clearly very different from the Australian penguin populations," says Dr Stefanie Grosser, who carried out the study as part of her Otago PhD project.
Similar to their human counterparts, the two species also seem to have developed their own 'accents'. Other researchers have previously shown that calls differ between Australian and New Zealand little penguins and females prefer the calls of males of their own species. "You could say the Aussies like hearing 'feesh', while 'fush' sounds better to Kiwi ears," Dr Grosser jokes.
"The recognition of unique penguin species on both sides of the Tasman highlights the importance of managing and conserving them separately," she says.
Another unexpected finding of the study was the discovery that the Australian species—Eudyptula novaehollandiae—is surprisingly also present in Otago, in the remote southeast corner of New Zealand's South Island. "Our genetic data suggest that the Otago and Australian populations are quite closely related," says Dr Grosser.
The team is currently working to better establish the history of the Otago population using ancient DNA.
"This research highlights that there is still much to be discovered about our region's unique wildlife," says Professor Jon Waters, who was involved in the study. "The new recognition of endemic species—unique to our region—is crucial for managing our natural heritage."
The research was funded by the Marsden Fund and Allan Wilson Centre and published this week in the international journal PLOS ONE.
http://phys.org/news/2015-12-australian-zealand-penguins-distinct-species.html
Coalescent Modelling Suggests Recent Secondary-Contact of Cryptic Penguin Species
Stefanie Grosser ,
Christopher P. Burridge,
Amanda J. Peucker,
Jonathan M. Waters
PLOS
Published: December 14, 2015
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144966
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0144966
Scientists had previously wondered about the relationships between populations of the penguin (popularly known as little blue penguins or fairy penguins) found on either side of the Tasman. The trans-Tasman team used genetic techniques to compare populations from both countries, and surprisingly found that they are not the same species.
"We found a very strong pattern, where New Zealand has its own distinctive genetic group that is clearly very different from the Australian penguin populations," says Dr Stefanie Grosser, who carried out the study as part of her Otago PhD project.
Similar to their human counterparts, the two species also seem to have developed their own 'accents'. Other researchers have previously shown that calls differ between Australian and New Zealand little penguins and females prefer the calls of males of their own species. "You could say the Aussies like hearing 'feesh', while 'fush' sounds better to Kiwi ears," Dr Grosser jokes.
"The recognition of unique penguin species on both sides of the Tasman highlights the importance of managing and conserving them separately," she says.
Another unexpected finding of the study was the discovery that the Australian species—Eudyptula novaehollandiae—is surprisingly also present in Otago, in the remote southeast corner of New Zealand's South Island. "Our genetic data suggest that the Otago and Australian populations are quite closely related," says Dr Grosser.
The team is currently working to better establish the history of the Otago population using ancient DNA.
"This research highlights that there is still much to be discovered about our region's unique wildlife," says Professor Jon Waters, who was involved in the study. "The new recognition of endemic species—unique to our region—is crucial for managing our natural heritage."
The research was funded by the Marsden Fund and Allan Wilson Centre and published this week in the international journal PLOS ONE.
http://phys.org/news/2015-12-australian-zealand-penguins-distinct-species.html
Coalescent Modelling Suggests Recent Secondary-Contact of Cryptic Penguin Species
Stefanie Grosser ,
Christopher P. Burridge,
Amanda J. Peucker,
Jonathan M. Waters
PLOS
Published: December 14, 2015
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144966
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0144966
Paul Clapham
Well-known member
Published in 2002:
Banks, Jonathan C.; Mitchell, Anthony D.; Waas, Joseph R. & Paterson, Adrian M. An unexpected pattern of molecular divergence within the blue penguin (Eudyptula minor) complex. Notornis 49(1): 29–38.
Abstract says:
"We found evidence for 2 unexpected clades: the 1st consisting of Otago and Australian populations, the 2nd consisting of northern, Cook Strait, Chatham Island, and Banks Peninsula populations."
And that's just what the custodian of the largest Little Penguin colony on the Banks Peninsula told me earlier this month. So it shouldn't be unexpected in 2015 to find Australian and Otago birds similar.
Banks, Jonathan C.; Mitchell, Anthony D.; Waas, Joseph R. & Paterson, Adrian M. An unexpected pattern of molecular divergence within the blue penguin (Eudyptula minor) complex. Notornis 49(1): 29–38.
Abstract says:
"We found evidence for 2 unexpected clades: the 1st consisting of Otago and Australian populations, the 2nd consisting of northern, Cook Strait, Chatham Island, and Banks Peninsula populations."
And that's just what the custodian of the largest Little Penguin colony on the Banks Peninsula told me earlier this month. So it shouldn't be unexpected in 2015 to find Australian and Otago birds similar.
Richard Klim
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Richard Klim
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Grosser et al 2016
University of Otago, 3 Feb 2016: NZ’s southern little penguins are recent Aussie invaders: Otago research.
Peter Kovalik
Well-known member
Peter Kovalik
Well-known member
Stefanie Grosser, R. Paul Scofield, and Jonathan M. Waters. Multivariate skeletal analyses support a taxonomic distinction between New Zealand and Australian Eudyptula penguins (Sphenisciformes: Spheniscidae). Emu - Austral Ornithology Vol. 0 , Iss. 0,0. Published online: 23 Apr 2017.
Abstract:
Recent genetic analyses have revealed evidence for the existence of two distinct lineages of Little Penguin (genus Eudyptula), one endemic to New Zealand (E. minor), and the other widespread along the coasts of Australia and south-east New Zealand (E. novaehollandiae). Here we present the first comprehensive morphometric analysis of complete Eudyptula skeletons. We show that variability in Eudyptula body and bill size is associated with sea surface temperature gradients, suggesting that thermoregulatory processes underpin morphological variation in these seabirds. More importantly, we detect osteological differentiation between New Zealand and Australian specimens, providing further support for the taxonomic separation of these behaviourally and genetically distinct lineages. Broadly, our study shows the value of multivariate osteological analyses in helping to resolve the status of genetic lineages that appear morphologically ‘cryptic’ when considering external morphometrics and plumage features alone.
Abstract:
Recent genetic analyses have revealed evidence for the existence of two distinct lineages of Little Penguin (genus Eudyptula), one endemic to New Zealand (E. minor), and the other widespread along the coasts of Australia and south-east New Zealand (E. novaehollandiae). Here we present the first comprehensive morphometric analysis of complete Eudyptula skeletons. We show that variability in Eudyptula body and bill size is associated with sea surface temperature gradients, suggesting that thermoregulatory processes underpin morphological variation in these seabirds. More importantly, we detect osteological differentiation between New Zealand and Australian specimens, providing further support for the taxonomic separation of these behaviourally and genetically distinct lineages. Broadly, our study shows the value of multivariate osteological analyses in helping to resolve the status of genetic lineages that appear morphologically ‘cryptic’ when considering external morphometrics and plumage features alone.
Fred Ruhe
Well-known member
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