''Spheniscus megaramphus'' (from Greek; ''megas'', 'large', and ''ramphos'', 'beak') is an extinct species of

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 ...

that lived during the

Late Miocene The Late Miocene (also known as Upper Miocene) is a sub-epoch of the Miocene epoch (geology), Epoch made up of two faunal stage, stages. The Tortonian and Messinian stages comprise the Late Miocene sub-epoch, which lasted from 11.63 Ma (million ye ...

(present

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 ...

)

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

. It is notable for being the largest known species of

banded penguin The banded penguins are penguins that belong to the genus ''Spheniscus''. There are four living species, all with similar banded plumage patterns. They are sometimes also known as "jack-ass penguins" due to their loud locator calls sounding simil ...

, along with having a proportionally large beak. The species was described in 2003 by Marcelo Stucchi based on fossils found in the

fossiliferous A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved in ...

Pisco Formation The Pisco Formation is a geologic formation located in Peru, on the southern coastal desert of Ica, Peru, Ica and Arequipa. The approximately thick formation was deposited in the Pisco Basin, spanning an age from the Miocene, Middle Miocene up to ...

of the

Pisco Basin Pisco Basin ( es, Cuenca de Pisco) is a sedimentary basin extending over in southwestern Peru.Solís Mundaca, 2018, p.1 The basin has a thick sedimentary fill, which is about half the thickness of more northern foreland basins in Peru. The old ...

, southwestern Peru. At about three feet in height, ''Spheniscus megaramphus'' was significantly larger and more robust than any living banded penguin. The beak of ''S. megaramphus'' is also proportionally much larger compared to extant banded penguins; the beak of ''S. megaramphus'' exceeds the length of its cranium, whereas the

Humboldt penguin The Humboldt penguin (''Spheniscus humboldti'') is a medium-sized penguin. It resides in South America, its range mainly contains most of coastal Peru. Its nearest relatives are the African penguin, the Magellanic penguin and the Galápagos peng ...

's beak and cranium are roughly equal in length. ''S. megaramphus'' is one of many extinct penguin species found in the Pisco Formation, along with other extinct banded penguins such as '' S. muizoni'' and '' S. urbinai'', the latter of which is similar in size to ''S. megaramphus''.

Paleobiology

Spheniscus megaramphus S urbinai and S humboldti

The shape and size of ''S. megaramphus'' beak would have allowed the species to hunt relatively large prey. As with living banded penguins, ''S. megaramphus'' obtained water from the fish and squid it ate, with excess sea salt being filtered out of the body via a

salt gland The salt gland is an organ for excreting excess salts. It is found in the cartilaginous fishes subclass elasmobranchii (sharks, rays, and skates), seabirds, and some reptiles. Salt glands can be found in the rectum of sharks. Birds and reptile ...

. ''S. megaramphus'' had comparatively large salt glands, an adaptation that suggests the species spent much of its life out at sea.

References

{{Portal, Paleontology Fossils of Peru †megaramphus Extinct penguins Miocene birds of South America Neogene Peru Pisco Formation Fossil taxa described in 2003