New Zealand scientists from the University of Otago, joined by colleagues from Japan, have discovered a new species of penguin that lived in New Zealand about 24 million years ago. The find has been named Pakudyptes hakataramea, meaning “little diver”. The study was published in the scientific journal broadcasting Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand (JRSNZ).
Analysis of the fossils showed that adult Pakudyptes hakataramea reached a height of 30 centimeters, making them some of the smallest penguins to have ever lived on Earth.
According to the study, P. hakataramea had dense bones, like those of modern penguins, suitable for swimming and diving. The medullary cavity, the hollow part of the bones, resembled the bones of little blue penguins, which usually spend time in shallow water.
Scientists say the bone structure of the ‘little divers’ fills a key gap in the evolution of penguin wings. The ancient penguin’s small size and skeletal features contributed to the diversity of its modern descendants.
Previously, paleontologists opened A new species of predatory dinosaurs, smaller relatives of the famous Tyrannosaurus rex.
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Source: Gazeta
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