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Chlidonias

penguins at the International Antarctic Centre

White-flippered penguins in the middle and one at back left, flanked by little blue penguins. The white-flippered penguin is found only in Canterbury (in NZ) and has variously been treated as just a colour morph of the little blue penguin (Eudyptula minor), as a subspecies (Eudyptula minor albosignata), and as a full species (Eudyptula albosignata). They are actually very distinctive, being larger and paler with whiter faces and of course having the broad white edge to the flippers, but DNA studies have had differing results (depending on the leanings of the researcher one suspects) - either results show they are totally distinct from little blues, or conversely indistinguishable genetically. The whole taxonomy is way up in the air. There are seven white-flippered penguins at the International Antarctic Centre (all rehab birds) and seventeen little blue penguins (also all rehab birds, from the Napier Marineland), so its a very convenient place to see both forms in one spot and compare :) March 2011

penguins at the International Antarctic Centre
Chlidonias, 30 Mar 2011
    • Chlidonias
      White-flippered penguins in the middle and one at back left, flanked by little blue penguins.

      The white-flippered penguin is found only in Canterbury (in NZ) and has variously been treated as just a colour morph of the little blue penguin (Eudyptula minor), as a subspecies (Eudyptula minor albosignata), and as a full species (Eudyptula albosignata). They are actually very distinctive, being larger and paler with whiter faces and of course having the broad white edge to the flippers, but DNA studies have had differing results (depending on the leanings of the researcher one suspects) - either results show they are totally distinct from little blues, or conversely indistinguishable genetically. The whole taxonomy is way up in the air.

      There are seven white-flippered penguins at the International Antarctic Centre (all rehab birds) and seventeen little blue penguins (also all rehab birds, from the Napier Marineland), so its a very convenient place to see both forms in one spot and compare :)

      March 2011
    • Jabiru96
      Aren't they scared of hybridisation between the two species/sub-species/colour morphs?
    • Chlidonias
      they're not supposed to be breeding them at all because they are only there as rehab unreleasable birds, but they have bred the little blues on at least one occasion. If they did have a mixed pair produce eggs they would know it was a mixed pairing (not sure what they would do about the eggs though; I know what I'd do).
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  • Category:
    International Antarctic Centre
    Uploaded By:
    Chlidonias
    Date:
    30 Mar 2011
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    Date / Time:
    2011:03:30 10:20:17
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