Eudyptula facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eudyptula |
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| Little penguin near burrow at night, Bruny Island, Tasmania, Australia | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Sphenisciformes |
| Family: | Spheniscidae |
| Genus: | Eudyptula Bonaparte, 1856 |
| Type species | |
| Aptenodytes minor |
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| Species | |
The Eudyptula genus is home to the smallest penguins in the world! Their name comes from ancient Greek and Latin words, meaning "good little diver." These amazing birds live in southern Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand, including the Chatham Islands.
You might know them as little penguins, little blue penguins, or even fairy penguins in Australia. The Māori people of New Zealand call them kororā. For a while, scientists thought a special white-flippered little penguin in New Zealand was a different species. But after studying their DNA, they learned that all little penguins belong to two main groups. One group lives along Australia's southern coast and in a part of New Zealand called Otago. The other group lives in the rest of New Zealand. It seems some little penguins traveled from Australia to New Zealand less than 500 years ago.
Contents
Discovering the Little Penguin
The Penguin Family Tree
Scientists group living things into categories to understand them better. Little penguins belong to the Order Sphenisciformes. This order includes all penguins! They are part of the Family Spheniscidae, which is the penguin family.
Within this family, we find the Genus Eudyptula. This genus includes the famous little penguin, known scientifically as Eudyptula minor. There was also an ancient species, †Eudyptula wilsonae, which is no longer alive today.
Living Species of Eudyptula
Today, only one species in the Eudyptula genus is still alive. It is the little penguin.
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Where They Live |
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| Eudyptula minor | Little Penguin | New Zealand, Chatham Islands, Southern Australia, Otago |
Ancient Eudyptula Species
Scientists have also found evidence of older Eudyptula species that lived long ago. These are called fossil species.
| Scientific Name | Where Their Fossils Were Found |
|---|---|
| Eudyptula wilsonae | Tangahoe Formation, Taranaki, New Zealand |
Images for kids
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A little penguin on Kapiti Island, New Zealand.
