Banded penguins

Lead Author: Peter Saundry (other articles)
Content Partner: Encyclopedia of Life (other articles)
Article Topics: Biodiversity and Ecology
This article has been reviewed and approved by the following Topic Editor: Kevin J. Caley (other articles)
Last Updated: October 22, 2009

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Animalia (Animals)
Phylum:--- Chordata
Class:------ Aves (Birds)
Order:-------- Sphenisciformes
Family:-------- Spheniscidae (Penguins)
Genus:--------- Spheniscus (Banded Penguins)
Species:-------- 4 species

The genus Spheniscus (scientific name: Spheniscus - "little wedge", alluding to the shape of the flippers) consists of four species of so-called 'banded penguins' within the Spheniscidae:

  • Black-footed penguin (also known as African penguin and Jackass penguin) (Spheniscus demersus)
  • Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus humboldti)
  • Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus)
  • Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus)

Like all penguins, banded penguins are characterized by their erect posture, stiff wings, excellent swimming ability, awkward movement on land, and coloration.The black back and white front make penguins difficult to see when swimming, helping them to blend in with the sea from above and the sky from below.

Banded penguins are distinctive by way of :

  • a black-and-white head pattern with exposed facial (loral) skin
  • a black horseshoe mark on their underside

The genus contains the most northerly of the penguins - the Galapagos Penguin, which lives close to the Equator

    • Galapagos Penguin - Galápagos Archipelago                                                         
    • Humboldt Penguin - Peru/Northern Chile                                                             
    • Magellanic Penguin  - Southern Chile/Argentina + Falkland Islands             
    • Black-footed/African Penguin - Namibia/South Africa                                                            
They also exhibit a flexible breeding season, with some populations breeding throughout the year.

While Banded penguins are the most northerly of the penguins, they are associated with cold, nutrient-rich currents. 

 

 
Black-footed/African penguin. Source:Silvie Hojná, Petr Bašus/BioLib/Encyclopedia of Life
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Black-footed/African penguin. Source:Silvie Hojná, Petr Bašus/BioLib/Encyclopedia of Life
 
(wikimedia commons)
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(wikimedia commons)
 
Magellanic penguin. Source: Jim Ross/BioLib/Encyclopedia of Life
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Magellanic penguin. Source: Jim Ross/BioLib/Encyclopedia of Life
 
Galapagos penguin. Source: putneymark/Wikipedia
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Galapagos penguin. Source: putneymark/Wikipedia

 

Further Reading:

  • Spheniscus Penguinworld.com (accessed March 29, 2009) 
Citation
Saundry, Peter (Lead Author); Encyclopedia of Life (Content Partner); Kevin J. Caley (Topic Editor). 2009. "Banded penguins." In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth August 11, 2009; Last revised October 22, 2009; Retrieved November 21, 2009]. <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Banded_penguins>
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