Ancient giant penguins roamed both Hemispheres, fossilised bones reveal

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New Zealand's monster penguins that lived 62 million years ago had doppelgangers in Japan, the USA and Canada, a study published today in the Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research has found.

Scientists have identified striking similarities between the penguins' fossilised bones and those of a group of much younger Northern Hemisphere birds, the plotopterids. These similarities suggest plotopterids and ancient penguins looked very similar and might help scientists understand how birds started using their wings to swim instead of fly.

Plotopterids developed in the Northern Hemisphere much later than penguins, with the first species appearing between 37 and 34 million years ago. Their fossils have been found at a number of sites in North America and Japan. Like penguins, they used their flipper-like wings to swim through the sea.

They found plotopterids and the ancient penguins had similar long beaks with slit-like nostrils, similar chest and shoulder bones, and similar wings. These similarities suggest both groups of birds were strong swimmers that used their wings to propel them deep underwater in search of food.

Unlike penguins, which have survived into the modern era, the last plotopterid species became extinct around 25 million years ago.

Source

[Guest Adarsh]

Omg I didn’t know Emperor penguins are that big 

[HiddenWeirdo 4,278]

Ancient „Monster penguins“ having the same height as Mother Monster.

serving ancient city style 

[Helxig 45,437]

Ayy finally New Zealand has a creature that isn't just a little lizard or bird  

[Suuus 5,632]

Wow i never thought that there once were penguins that are almost as tall as me 

[3562136 743]

Empoleon teas

[killerstiletto 185]

A penguin as tall as me. Not sure I'd want to meet it face to face. 

[shoful 13,304]

It’s truly amazing how the world existed far before we were here and will exist far after. It’s crazy to think about how insignificant our lives are in the grand scheme of things. I wish we were able to watch the universe after we die

[Head Empty 27,071]

So this penguin was taller than Gaga?