Pakdipthes hakataramea Body size would have been similar to that of modern humans Little Blue Penguin (Eudyptula minor)It is approximately 40-45 cm (15.7-17.7 in) in length.
Artist image Pakdipthes hakatarameaPhoto courtesy of Tatsuya Niimura / Ashoro Museum of Paleontology
Pakdipthes hakataramea It lived in New Zealand about 24 million years ago (Late Oligocene Epoch).
This new species was very small, about the size of a little blue penguin. World's smallest — They have anatomical adaptations that allow them to dive.
“Pakdipthes hakataramea “This fossil fills the morphological gap between modern and fossil penguins,” said Dr. Tatsuro Ando, ​​a paleontologist at the Ashoro Museum in Ashoro Town.
“In particular, the shape of the wing bones is very different, and it was unclear how penguins' wings acquired their current shape and function.”
“The humerus and ulna show how penguins' wings evolved.”
“To my surprise, Pakdipthes hakataramea It was very close to the condition of modern penguins, but the elbow joint was very similar to that of older types of fossil penguins.
“Pakdipthes hakataramea This is the first penguin fossil to be found in this combination and is a key fossil that will shed light on the evolution of penguins' wings.”
Fossilized remains Pakdipthes hakataramea The fossils were discovered by palaeontologists Craig Jones and Professor Euan Fordyce during a series of field expeditions in the Hakataramea Gorge in South Canterbury in 1987.
“Analysis of internal bone structure compared with data from modern penguins shows that these penguins had microanatomical features indicative of diving behaviour,” said Dr Carolina Lock, a palaeontologist at the University of Otago.
Modern penguins have excellent swimming abilities, thanks mainly to their dense, thick bones that provide them with buoyancy when diving.
in Pakdipthes hakatarameaAlthough the medullary cavity containing the bone marrow was open, the cortical bone was quite thick, similar to that seen in modern little blue penguins, which tend to swim in shallow waters.
ability Pakdipthes hakataramea Their ability to dive and swim depends on a unique combination of bones.
“Penguins evolved rapidly from the late Oligocene to the early Miocene. Pakdipthes hakataramea “This is a significant fossil from this period,” Dr Locke said.
“Their small body size and unique bone combination may have contributed to the ecological diversity of modern penguins.”
Discovery Pakdiptes hakataramea teeth, paper In Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand.
_____
Tatsuro Ando othersA new small penguin fossil discovered from the Late Oligocene of New Zealand and morphofunctional changes in penguin wings. Journal of the Royal Society of New ZealandPublished online July 31, 2024, doi: 10.1080/03036758.2024.2362283
Source: www.sci.news
