Appearance on Earth
The macaroni penguin was first appeared on earth about 1.5 million years ago but was not discovered until 1837 by a German naturalist, Johann Friedrich von Brandt, in the Falkland Islands. Unfortunately there is not a lot of information on the beginning of the macaroni penguin.
Environment
There are 50 known sites where the macaroni penguin breeds in the sub-Antartic islands. The most common colonies include the islands of Crozet, Heard, McDonald, Kerguelen, and South Georgia. The macaroni penguin breeds rocky slopes, beaches, and amongst tussocks of grass. They usually breed in areas the lack vegetation. Some of these penguins have adapted to the environment by becoming smaller in new generation and growing webbed feet to swim. This knew species became known as royal penguins.
Evolution
According to this chart, the oldest know ancestry of all penguins is the Waimanu manneringi. The fossils of this penguin are about 61.6 million years old. The close relative of this penguin is the Waimanu tuatahi, which lived 58-60 million years ago. It is said that these two species of penguins live 4 or 5 million years after the age of the dinosaurs. The Waimanu penguins are descendants of birds that were able to fly and those birds evolved from the dinosaurs. There is new study that suggests that the birds these penguin descended from adapted to be able to swim causing future generation to lose the ability to fly.
The genus eudyptes includes eight species of crested penguins, one of which is the macaroni penguin. Out of this group, the royal penguin (eudyptes schlegeli) is the closest relative of the macaroni penguin. The royal penguin is smaller, has an all white frontside, and pink webbed feet.
The genus eudyptes includes eight species of crested penguins, one of which is the macaroni penguin. Out of this group, the royal penguin (eudyptes schlegeli) is the closest relative of the macaroni penguin. The royal penguin is smaller, has an all white frontside, and pink webbed feet.
Evidence of evolution
The first Waimanu fossils were discovered 20 years ago by Al Mannering. Both fossils were found in the Waipara Greensand in North Canterbury. The area was submerged during the Paleocene and the Waimanu were entombed into nearby rocks. Millions of years later the rocks were discovered.
The macaroni penguin's DNA and mitochondria reveal a relation between it and the royal penguin. Les Christidis, an Austrailian ornithologist, discovered similarities in the DNA structures of both species leading him to believe that the royal penguin is a subspecies of the macaroni penguin.
The macaroni penguin's DNA and mitochondria reveal a relation between it and the royal penguin. Les Christidis, an Austrailian ornithologist, discovered similarities in the DNA structures of both species leading him to believe that the royal penguin is a subspecies of the macaroni penguin.
What's next?
Although the macaroni penguin is not extinct, it is considered vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. An abundance of fishing (over-fishing) has cause a decrease in the penguin's food supply. Cats, rats, and other land mammals are being introduced to the areas that these penguins breed in and becoming predators to them. An increase in oil spills in their habitat also cause a decrease in their population. Macaroni penguins are also sensitive to changing sea temperature and ocean currents. Monitoring programs have been established at popular breeding areas to protect and preserve the population.