Origins and Evolution of Penguins

Abstract

Evolution is a single, organised mechanism Of natural selection (Freeman and Herron, 2001). Charles Darwin noted the evidence of evolution in the mid 1800 and his book 'the origin of species' was controversial among his generation. Now, evolution applies to many aspects of animal and human life from the speciation of finches to human health and disease. In this review, I have summarised origins and evolution of penguins. Due to the incomplete fossil records, the precise evolution of penguins is not yet understood. Penguins are one of the successful and well adapted species of birds that lost its flight ability. Penguins Originated in the early Eocene and radiated rapidly without presence of any predators. Penguins were more abundant in species and were larger in the past but as higher marine mammals evolved from about early Oligocene it created competition for food, space and direct predation. This may have caused many large penguins to extinct. Recent studies show the importance of conserving penguins' behaviour as well as its genetic material as both are evolved together for a long period of time. Evolution is a single, organised mechanism Of natural selection (Freeman and Herron, 2001). Charles Darwin noted the evidence of evolution in the mid 1800 and his book 'the origin of species' was controversial among his generation. Now, evolution applies to many aspects of animal and human life from the speciation of finches to human health and disease. In this review, I have summarised origins and evolution of penguins. Due to the incomplete fossil records, the precise evolution of penguins is not yet understood. Penguins are one of the successful and well adapted species of birds that lost its flight ability. Penguins Originated in the early Eocene and radiated rapidly without presence of any predators. Penguins were more abundant in species and were larger in the past but as higher marine mammals evolved from about early Oligocene it created competition for food, space and direct predation. This may have caused many large penguins to extinct. Recent studies show the importance of conserving penguins' behaviour as well as its genetic material as both are evolved together for a long period of time.