Scientists find fossils of two previously unknown penguin species in New Zealand. And one of them was the largest bird of its kind discovered so far, according to Live Science..
The penguin lived on Earth about 50 million years ago.. His weight reached an impressive 154 kilograms..
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The remains of a new species, named Kumimanu fordycei, were found alongside eight other specimens inside beach boulders in North Otago, New Zealand's South Island.. Five of the remaining specimens belonged to another discovered species, Petradyptes stonehousei, one belonged to another known giant penguin, Kumimanu biceae, and two have not been identified.. The age of the rocks is from 59.5 to 55.5 million years.
The scientists made an estimate of the weight of the two discovered species based on the size and density of their bones compared to the bones of other penguins.. According to scientists, P. stonehousei weighed about 50 kilograms, that is, a little more than modern emperor penguins. fordeycei weighed three times as much, reaching an impressive 154 kilograms.. Scientists have not yet been able to estimate the body length of this species..
Before that, Palaeeudyptes klekowskii, who lived about 37 million years ago in Antarctica, was considered the largest penguin, he weighed 116 kilograms, and his height reached two meters.. It is followed by K. biceae weighing 121 kilograms and 1.8 meters tall.
Scientists have previously discovered a new colony of emperor penguins in Antarctica using satellite imagery..