''Perudyptes'' is a basal

penguin Penguins (order (biology), order List of Sphenisciformes by population, Sphenisciformes , family (biology), family Spheniscidae ) are a group of Water bird, aquatic flightless birds. They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere: on ...

from the

Middle Eocene The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes from the Ancient Greek (''ēṓs'', "dawn ...

Paracas Formation of

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

.''Perudyptes''
at

Fossilworks Fossilworks is a portal which provides query, download, and analysis tools to facilitate access to the Paleobiology Database The Paleobiology Database is an online resource for information on the distribution and classification of fossil animals ...

.org The genus name ''Perudyptes'' is named after the country, while the species name ''devriesi'' Thomas DeVries, a

Vashon Island High School Vashon Island High School (VHS) is a public high school located on Vashon Island, Washington. Vashon Island High School, a part of the Vashon Island School District, is the only high school to serve the island. VHS runs 9th through 12th grade. The ...

science teacher who has long worked in Peru.

Description

''Perudyptes devriesi'' is a basal penguin from the Middle Eocene (

Mustersan The Mustersan age is a period of geologic time (48.0–42.0 Ma) within the Eocene epoch of the Paleogene, used more specifically within the South American land mammal age (SALMA) classification. It follows the Casamayoran and precedes the Divisade ...

, ~42 Ma) Paracas Formation of Peru. This new discovery is able to fill a major phylogenetic and stratigraphic (~20 million year) gap between the earliest fossil penguins ('' Waimanu manneringi'' and '' Muriwaimanu tuatahi'', ~58–61.6 Ma) and the next oldest partial skeletons. The skull of ''Perudyptes'' is characterized by deep temporal fossae and an elongate, narrow beak that differs from other reported stem penguins in its short mandibular symphysis. The wing skeleton of Perudyptes preserves a combination of plesiomorphic features also observed in the basal penguin ''Waimanu'' and derived features shared with more crownward penguins.

References

Extinct penguins Eocene birds of South America Mustersan Paleogene Peru Fossils of Peru Fossil taxa described in 2007 {{paleo-bird-stub