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Scientists from the University of Bath’s Milner Center for Evolution said gentoo penguins should be reclassified as four different species, a move that could better support conservation efforts.
After analyzing the genetic and physical traits of gentoo penguin populations living in the Falkland Islands and South Georgia in the South Atlantic Ocean, the South Shetland Islands in the Antarctic and the Kerguelen Islands in the Indian Ocean, they found clear morphological differences. and genetics among the four populations.
“For the first time we have shown that these penguins are not only genetically distinct, but physically different as well,” said Dr Jane Younger, Prize Fellow of the Milner Center for Evolution and leader of the study. “Gentoos tend to stay close to their colonies of origin and over the course of hundreds of thousands of years they have become geographically isolated from each other to the point where they don’t cross each other, even though they could easily swim the distance between them. “
The research team used the genome data to create an evolutionary tree to understand the relationship between the different populations, then combined this data with measurements of museum specimens from each of the populations.
Gentoo penguins, with the Latin name Pygoscelis papua, live in a range of latitudes in the southern hemisphere and are currently divided into two subspecies, P. p. ellsworthi is P. p. papua. The researchers suggest that these two subspecies should be brought to the species level and that two new species should be created, which they called P. poncetii is P. taeniata.
‘The four species we propose live in quite different latitudes,’ added Dr Younger. “For example P. ellsworthi lives in the Antarctic continent while P. poncetii, P. taeniata is P. papua they live further north where conditions are milder, so it is not surprising that they have evolved to adapt to their different habitats. “
Scientists say that considering the four populations as separate species gives conservationists a better chance of protecting their diversity because if there is a decline in any of them it will change the threat status as defined by the IUCN Red List.
“They look very similar to an inexperienced eye,” said PhD student Josh Tyler, “but when we measured their skeletons we found statistical differences in the length of their bones and the size and shape of their beaks. It’s a story similar to giraffes. , which in 2016 turned out to be four genetically distinct species “.
The proposed changes to the classification of gentoo penguins will be reviewed by an international committee of scientists, who will evaluate all the evidence in the scientific literature before the new taxonomy is accepted.
‘Currently, gentoo penguins are fairly stable in numbers,’ said Dr Younger, ‘however there is some evidence that northern populations move further south as the climate warms, so we need to watch them closely.’
Photograph courtesy of Gemma Clucas.
For information on the co-authors and to read the full study, “Morphometric and Genetic Evidence for Four Gentoo Penguin Species,” click here.
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