The genus ''Eudyptula'' ("good little diver") contains two 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 ...
, found in southern
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
,
Tasmania, and
New Zealand (including the
Chatham Islands). They are commonly known as the
little penguin
The little penguin (''Eudyptula minor'') is a species of penguin from New Zealand. They are commonly known as little blue penguins or blue penguins owing to their slate-blue plumage and are also known by their Māori name .
The Australian lit ...
, little blue penguin, or, in Australia, fairy penguin. In the language of the
Māori people of
New Zealand, little penguins are known as .
For many years, a
white-flippered form of the little penguin found only in
North Canterbury, New Zealand was considered either a separate species, ''
Eudyptula albosignata'', or just a subspecies, ''Eudyptula minor albosignata''. Analysis of
mtDNA revealed that ''Eudyptula'' falls instead into two groups: a western one, found along the southern coast of Australia and the
Otago
Otago (, ; mi, Ōtākou ) is a region of New Zealand located in the southern half of the South Island administered by the Otago Regional Council. It has an area of approximately , making it the country's second largest local government reg ...
region of New Zealand, and another found in the rest of New Zealand. These two groups are now considered full species: ''
Eudyptula novaehollandiae'' in Australia and Otago, and ''
Eudyptula minor
The little penguin (''Eudyptula minor'') is a species of penguin from New Zealand. They are commonly known as little blue penguins or blue penguins owing to their slate-blue plumage and are also known by their Māori name .
The Australian lit ...
'' elsewhere. ''E. novaehollandiae'' probably arrived in New Zealand from Australia less than 500 years ago, following the local extinction of ''E. minor'' in Otago.
Classification
Order
Sphenisciformes
* Family
Spheniscidae
**Genus ''Eudyptula''
***''
Eudyptula minor
The little penguin (''Eudyptula minor'') is a species of penguin from New Zealand. They are commonly known as little blue penguins or blue penguins owing to their slate-blue plumage and are also known by their Māori name .
The Australian lit ...
'' – little penguin
***''
Eudyptula novaehollandiae'' – Australian little penguin
Extant Species
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3021378
Bird genera
Penguins
Spheniscidae
Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte