At Christmas 1967, 11-year-old Peter Tyree found an unusually complete fossil penguin skeleton at Motunau, North Canterbury. This was the same locality as where Harris’ penguin was found in 1955, and where Ridgen’s penguin was found a few months later.

George Gaylord Simpson named Tyree’s penguin in 1970, placing it in the same genus as the Adelie, chinstrap and gentoo penguins. The fossil is remarkably intact, though missing the skull and feet. Tyree’s penguin was similar in size and structure to a gentoo penguin.

Due to the complex geology at Motunau, the age of the only known specimen is uncertain – Early Miocene to Pliocene (22-3 million-years-old), but probably Late Pliocene (c.3 million-years-old). The holotype (CM AV 22631) is held in Canterbury Museum.

Weblinks

http://fossilpenguins.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/pygoscelis-tyreei-and-aptenodytes-ridgeni-you-can-find-a-fossil-penguin/

References

Simpson, G.G. 1972. Pliocene penguins from North Canterbury, New Zealand. Records of the Canterbury Museum 9: 159-182.

Recommended citation

Miskelly, C.M. 2013. Tyree’s penguin. In Miskelly, C.M. (ed.) New Zealand Birds Online. www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz