In July 1968, 11-year-old Alan Ridgen found the well-preserved leg bones of a fossil penguin at Motunau, North Canterbury. This was the same locality as where Harris’ penguin had been found in 1955, and Tyree’s penguin in 1967.

George Gaylord Simpson named Ridgen’s penguin in 1970, placing it in the same genus as the king and emperor penguins. Ridgen’s penguin was probably about 10% larger than an emperor 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 22632) 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. Ridgen’s penguin. In Miskelly, C.M. (ed.) New Zealand Birds Online. www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz