scholarly journals Short Underwater Opening of the Beak Following Immersion in Seven Penguin Species

The Condor ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 444-448
Author(s):  
Yan Ropert-Coudert ◽  
Akiko Kato ◽  
Rory P. Wilson ◽  
Masanori Kurita
Keyword(s):  
Potential Prey ◽  
Pygoscelis Adeliae ◽  
Aptenodytes Forsteri ◽  
Eudyptes Chrysolophus ◽  
Beak Opening ◽  
Penguin Species

Abstract Videocamera recordings of seven species of penguin, Emperor (Aptenodytes forsteri), Humboldt (Spheniscus humboldti), Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae), Chinstrap (P. antarctica), Gentoo (P. papua), Macaroni (Eudyptes chrysolophus) and Rockhopper (E. chrysocome), swimming in large aquaria revealed that birds opened their beak underwater for less than a second immediately after initiating a dive. Overall, this beak-opening occurred in 64% of the immersions but, in all species, was associated with quick transitions between air and water, such as in porpoising or dives that were initiated rapidly. Two hypotheses are proposed to explain this behavior: beak-opening may be a signal that initiates bradycardia, such as is observed in unrestrained diving animals, or beak-opening may be associated with chemoreception to help detect potential prey or predators. Breve Apertura del Pico en Pingüinos luego de Sumergirse Resumen. En acuarios registramos con cámara de video a siete especies de pingüinos, Aptenodytes forsteri, Spheniscus humboldti, Pygoscelis adeliae, P. antarctica, P. papua, Eudyptes chrysolophus y E. chrysocome. Los registros indicaron que las aves abren el pico bajo el agua por menos de un segundo inmediatamente después de sumergirse al iniciar el buceo. En total, esta apertura del pico se registró en el 64% de las inmersiones y en todas las especies ocurrió preferentemente en situaciones de transición rápida entre aire y agua, como en “porpoising” o en buceos que se iniciaron abruptamente. Se proponen dos hipótesis para explicar esta conducta: la apertura del pico puede servir como una señal para iniciar la bradicardia, como se observa en animales buceando voluntariamente, o bien la apertura del pico podría estar asociada a quimiorecepción para detectar potenciales presas o depredadores.

Killer whale harrassment of Adélie penguins at Ross Island

2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 385-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
GRANT BALLARD ◽  
DAVID G. AINLEY
Keyword(s):  
Killer Whale ◽  
The Other ◽  
Orcinus Orca ◽  
Killer Whales ◽  
Pygoscelis Adeliae ◽  
Emperor Penguins ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Aptenodytes Forsteri ◽  
Adélie Penguins

On innumerable occasions, Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae) and emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) have been observed in close proximity to killer whales (Orcinus orca), with no whale-penguin interactions reported. On the other hand, killer whales reportedly harass and eat seabirds on occasion (Walker 1968: p. 1122, Stacey et al. 1990, Williams et al. 1990). Killer whales are known to prey on young king penguins (A. patagonica) as they are fledging (Guinet 1992, Guinet & Bouvier 1995) and occasionally take emperor penguins (Mikhalev et al. 1981). Thomas et al. (1981) report killer whales chasing Adélies. Here we report the only observations of Adélie-killer whale interactions observed in nine field seasons on Ross Island.

Studies on the ectoparasites of seals and penguins. III. The distribution of the tick Ixodes uriae White and the flea Parapsyllus magellanicus heardi de Meillon on Macquarie Island

1967 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 715 ◽  
Author(s):  
MD Murray ◽  
WJM Vestjens
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Blood Meal ◽  
The Other ◽  
Rockhopper Penguin ◽  
Breeding Area ◽  
Macquarie Island ◽  
Ixodes Uriae ◽  
Eudyptes Chrysolophus ◽  
Penguin Species ◽  
Adult Flea

On Macquarie I. it rains daily and abundantly; whether the habitat is flooded or not determines whether the tick Ixodes uriae and the flea Pavapsyllus magellanicus heardi can survive and breed. The principal hosts of these ectoparasites are penguins; the degree of infestation of the four species of penguins that breed on Macquarie I. differs because of differences in their breeding and moulting behaviour. Royal penguins, Eudyptes chrysolophus schlegeli, form large colonies which are surrounded by tussock, Poa foliosa. Rock stacks covered with vegetation may be within the colony. The drier conditions within the tussock and on the rock stacks are necessary for oviposition and egg development of I. uriae although larvae, nymphs, and adults can survive submersion in water for many weeks. Royal penguins are present in the colony from September to April, and consequently a blood meal is readily available close to the breeding area of the tick for half of the year. In these circumstances the life cycle of I. uriae can be completed within 2 yr. The other penguin species do not afford such favourable opportunities for population growth of I. uriae. Only the rockhopper penguin, Eudyptes chrysocome, nests in sheltered situations such as caves, or under overhanging rocks. In these drier nests the larval and adult flea, P. magellanicus heardi, can survive, and the larvae can overwinter.

Decadal-scale changes in the climate and biota of the Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean, 1950s to the 1990s

2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
DAVID G. AINLEY ◽  
ELIZABETH D. CLARKE ◽  
KEVIN ARRIGO ◽  
WILLIAM R. FRASER ◽  
AKIKO KATO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Sea Ice ◽  
Ross Sea ◽  
Weddell Seal ◽  
Pygoscelis Adeliae ◽  
Proximate Mechanisms ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Decadal Scale ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Penguin Species

Simultaneous, but contrary, decadal-scale changes in population trajectories of two penguin species in the western Pacific and Ross Sea sectors of the Southern Ocean, during the early/mid-1970s and again during 1988–89, correspond to changes in weather and sea ice patterns. These in turn are related to shifts in the semi-annual and Antarctic oscillations. Populations of the two ecologically dissimilar penguin species - Adélie Pygoscelis adeliae and emperor Aptenodytes forsteri - have been tallied annually since the 1950s making these the longest biological datasets for the Antarctic. Both species are obligates of sea ice and, therefore, allowing for the demographic lags inherent in the response of long-lived species to habitat or environmental variation, the proximate mechanisms responsible for the shifts involved changes in coastal wind strength and air and sea temperatures, which in turn affected the seasonal formation and decay of sea ice and polynyas. The latter probably affected such rates as the proportion of adults breeding and ultimately the reproductive output of populations in ways consistent with the two species' opposing sea ice needs. Corresponding patterns for the mid-1970s shift were reflected also in ice-obligate Weddell seal Leptonychotes weddelli populations and the structure of shallow-water sponge communities in the Ross Sea. The 1988–89 shift, by which time many more datasets had become available, was reflected among several ice-frequenting vertebrate species from all Southern Ocean sectors. Therefore, the patterns most clearly identified in the Pacific Sector were apparently spread throughout the high latitudes of the Southern Ocean.

scholarly journals Macroplastic in Seabirds at Mirny, Antarctica

Birds ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-18
Author(s):  
Sergey Golubev
Keyword(s):  
Marine Debris ◽  
Emperor Penguin ◽  
Biological Interactions ◽  
Pygoscelis Adeliae ◽  
Plastic Debris ◽  
The World ◽  
Aptenodytes Forsteri ◽  
Catharacta Maccormicki ◽  
Marine Wildlife ◽  
South Polar

Plastic debris makes up the majority of marine debris around the world, and pollution is a serious threat to marine wildlife. Threats represent two types of biological interactions with plastic: entanglement and ingestion. This paper describes interactions of seabirds with plastic in Mirny and draw the attention of researchers to the existing problem. In 2012/2013 and 2015/2016, year-round observations of the author were carried out at Mirny station and Haswell Islands (area of about 12 km2), east Antarctica. One case of entanglement of a molting adult Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) in a fishing line was been identified; in addition to one case of an adult emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) mistakenly ingesting plastic braided rope and subsequently feeding it as part of a food lump to the chick, and two cases of macroplastics found in pellets of south polar skuas (Catharacta maccormicki). Registrations of entanglement and ingestion of macroplastic by seabirds in Mirny are rare. They signal to us about problem that needs to be included in the monitoring for the health of terrestrial biota of the Haswell archipelago.

Heart and ventricle weights of Antarctic penguins

1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (10) ◽  
pp. 2602-2604 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles M. Drabek
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Left Ventricle ◽  
Right Ventricle ◽  
Emperor Penguin ◽  
Morphological Parameters ◽  
Pygoscelis Adeliae ◽  
Pygoscelis Antarctica ◽  
Aptenodytes Forsteri ◽  
The Right ◽  
Adélie Penguins

The hearts of Emperor (Aptenodytes forsteri), Chinstrap (Pygoscelis antarctica), and Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) were weighed and measured to elucidate morphological parameters that might be functional for diving. These heart parameters are the first to be described for penguins. Heart weights of both the Chinstrap (42.4 g) and Adelie penguins (37.5 g) were greater than predicted for birds of their body size. The weight of the right ventricle in proportion to both the heart and the left ventricle was significantly greater in the Emperor Penguin than in the Chinstrap and Adelie penguins.

Leopard seal predation rates at penguin colonies of different size

2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 335-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
DAVID G. AINLEY ◽  
GRANT BALLARD ◽  
BRIAN J. KARL ◽  
KATIE M. DUGGER
Keyword(s):  
Full Range ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Leopard Seal ◽  
Pygoscelis Adeliae ◽  
Hydrurga Leptonyx ◽  
Adélie Penguins ◽  
Penguin Species ◽  
Predation Rates

In a study designed to elucidate the factors that might differentially affect the well being and biology of Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) that breed in colonies of different size, we investigated the predation rates on penguins by leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) over a period of six years. The study colonies varied in size across the full range for this penguin species, contrasting with previous studies in which data were gathered only at very large colonies, and only in single years. The number of seals present varied directly with the amount of penguin traffic in the areas near the beach, where most predation takes place. Seals were present persistently only when penguin traffic exceeded about 250 penguins per hour. Predation rates also varied with penguin traffic in a curvilinear fashion, leveling off where traffic exceeded about 1200 penguins per hour. With respect to predation, it appears to be advantageous for Adélie penguins to nest in very small or very large colonies. At large colonies, the number of penguins moving to and from the colony ‘swamp’ the seals' predatory efforts, thus reducing the chances that an individual penguin will be taken. Small colonies are of little interest to the seals.

scholarly journals Spatial and temporal diet variability of Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae) and Emperor (Aptenodytes forsteri) Penguin: a multi tissue stable isotope analysis

Polar Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vahideh Jafari ◽  
Deborah Maccapan ◽  
Giulio Careddu ◽  
Simona Sporta Caputi ◽  
Edoardo Calizza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stable Isotope ◽  
Stable Isotope Analysis ◽  
Ross Sea ◽  
Isotope Analysis ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Emperor Penguin ◽  
Adélie Penguin ◽  
Pygoscelis Adeliae ◽  
Adelie Penguin ◽  
Aptenodytes Forsteri

AbstractThe Ross Sea, Antarctica, supports large populations of Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) and Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae), two key meso-predators that occupy high trophic levels. Despite these species are largely studied, little is known about their diet outside the breeding period. In the present study, we investigated the intra-annual diet of Adélie and Emperor Penguins belonging to five colonies in the Ross Sea through the stable isotope analysis of different tissues (feathers and shell membranes), synthetized in different seasons, and guano that indicates recent diet. Penguin samples and prey (krill and fish) were collected during the Antarctic spring–summer. δ13C and δ15N of tissues and guano indicate spatio-temporal variation in the penguin diet. The krill consumption by Adélie Penguins was lowest in winter except in the northernmost colony, where it was always very high. It peaked in spring and remained prevalent in summer. The greatest krill contribution to Emperor Penguin’s diet occurred in summer. The relative krill and fish consumption by both species changed in relation to the prey availability, which is influenced by seasonal sea ice dynamics, and according to the penguin life cycle phases. The results highlight a strong trophic plasticity in the Adélie Penguin, whose dietary variability has been already recognized, and in the Emperor Penguin, which had not previously reported. Our findings can help understand how these species might react to resource variation due to climate change or anthropogenic overexploitation. Furthermore, data provides useful basis for future comparisons in the Ross Sea MPA and for planning conservation actions.

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