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The researchers sequenced the genomes of the 20 species and subspecies of living penguins.
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July 19, 2022 • 23 minutes ago • 3 minutes reading • Join the conversation A king penguin swims in a pool at the Zurich Zoo August 15, 2012. Photo by Michael Buholzer / Archive photo / REUTERS
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WASHINGTON – The evolution of penguins from their ancestors of flying seabirds to non-flying inhabitants of marine environments from icy Antarctica to the tropical Galapagos Islands is among the wonders of the animal kingdom.
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Researchers on Tuesday offered the most comprehensive examination to date of the history of penguins dating back to more than 60 million years ago, including the identification of a set of crucial genes in adaptations related to underwater vision. long dives, body temperature regulation, diet and body size.
The researchers sequenced the genomes of the 20 species and subspecies of living penguins. With more than three-quarters of the known penguin species currently extinct, the researchers also included 50 fossil species in their analysis using skeletal data.
The researchers said the penguins evolved from a common ancestor shared with a group of seabirds that includes albatrosses and petrels. Penguins first evolved the ability to dive, like a frigatebird, and later lost the ability to fly as they adapted to an aquatic realm, becoming excellent swimmers and divers.
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The first known penguin, dating back 61 million years, about 5 million years after the mass extinction event that condemned the dinosaurs, is called Waimanu manneringi, from New Zealand.
Emperor penguins are seen in Dumont d’Urville, Antarctica, on April 10, 2012. Photo by Martin Passingham / Archive photo / REUTERS
“For me, penguins are a perfect example of an important evolutionary transition, such as the evolution of an aquatic lifestyle in whales or the flight of bats,” said avian paleontologist Daniel Ksepka of the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut, co-author of the study. published in the journal Nature Communications.
“We know that penguins evolved from flying birds, but that happened more than 60 million years ago and we have to look at the fossil record to gather where, when and how it happened. In addition, penguins are creatures. ridiculously charming.They love, fight, steal, and because of their fun upright posture, it’s very easy to imagine them with the same motivations as people, ”Ksepka said.
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The study illustrated how changes in global temperature (oscillations between cold and warm periods) and changes in major ocean currents have been major drivers of the evolution of penguins.
“We have estimated how the populations of each penguin species have fluctuated over the past 250,000 years from the signatures left on their genome by population falls and booms,” Ksepka said. “Increasing and declining ice sheets had a major impact on penguins, and species vulnerable to sea ice retreat may suffer greatly from future global warming.”
Penguins were also found to have the lowest evolutionary rates ever detected among birds.
Penguins live mainly in the southern hemisphere, including species such as the Adelia penguin along the coasts of Antarctica. The Galapagos penguin is the only one north of the equator.
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Postdoctoral researcher at the University of Copenhagen and lead author of the study, Theresa Cole, said the research uncovered a variety of genes that are likely involved in unique physiological adaptations of penguins.
They show genetic mutations that shift their vision to the blue end of the color spectrum. Blue light penetrates deeper into the ocean than light at the red end of the spectrum, so this feature helped sharpen vision for underwater acuity in low light.
The genes that help birds detect salty, sour tastes are active in penguins. But the genes that help detect bitter, sweet and salty tastes are inactivated. They may no longer be needed, as penguins feed on cold, salt water and usually swallow prey, such as fish, shrimp, and whole squid.
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Penguins have a flattening and hardening of the wing bones and a reduction of the flight feathers in small structures that help turn the wings into fins. They also reduced the air spaces in the skeleton and increased the thickness of the bone wall to increase diving efficiency, as well as adding the ability to store more oxygen to your muscles for long dives.
Penguins were once much larger than current species. One species, Kumimanu biceae, that inhabited New Zealand between 55 and 60 million years ago was about 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall. The largest existing species, the emperor penguin, is about 3 feet (1 meter) tall.
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