Crested Penguin - Taxonomy

Taxonomy

The genus was described by the French ornithologist Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot in 1816; the name is derived from the Ancient Greek words eu "good", and dyptes "diver".

Six extant species have been classically recognised, with the recent splitting of the Rockhopper Penguin increasing it to seven. Conversely, the close relationship of the Macaroni and Royal Penguins, and the Erect-crested and Snares Penguins have led some to propose the two pairs should be regarded as species.

ORDER SPHENISCIFORMES

• Family Spheniscidae
  • Fiordland Penguin, Eudyptes pachyrhynchus
  • Snares Penguin, Eudyptes robustus – has been considered a subspecies of the Fiordland Penguin.
  • Erect-crested Penguin, Eudyptes sclateri
  • Southern Rockhopper Penguin, Eudyptes chrysocome
    • Eastern Rockhopper Penguin, Eudyptes (chrysocome) filholi
    • Western Rockhopper Penguin, Eudyptes (chrysocome) chrysocome
  • Northern Rockhopper Penguin, Eudyptes moseleyi – traditionally considered a subspecies of Eudyptes chrysocome as the Rockhopper Penguin.
  • Royal Penguin, Eudyptes schlegeli – sometimes considered a morph of E. chrysolophus
  • Macaroni Penguin, Eudyptes chrysolophus
  • Chatham Penguin, Eudyptes chathamensis. (prehistoric?)

The Chatham Islands form is known only from subfossil bones, but may have become extinct as recently as the late 19th century as a bird kept captive at some time between 1867 and 1872 might refer to this taxon. It appears to have been a distinct species, with a thin, slim and low bill.