The General Biology and Thermal Balances
of Penguins
B. S T O N E H O U S E
Department of Zoology, Canterbury University, Christchuwh, New Zealad
I. Introduction ......................................................... 131
11. The Environment .....................................................
136
A. Species Distribution and Numbers.. .................................
136
B. Sea Temperatures and Terrestrial Climates.. ..........................
168
C. Food, Nest Sites and Predators.. ....................................
166
111. Morphology, Metabolism and Heat Balance. .............................
173
A. Form and Metaboli sm ..............................................
173
B. Heat Balance: Some Conclusions.. ..................................
188
Acknowledgments ......................................................... 191
References ...............................................................
192
I. INTRODUCTION
Penguins (family Spheniscidae) are flightless marine birds, ecologically
distinct and taxonomically remote from all other birds. Prominent in
Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic, they are also distributed widely in the
temperate zone of the southmn hemisphere and reach northern limits
on the Galapagos Islands, the north Peruvian coast, south-western Africa
and southern Australia. Their ecological settings range from bare equatorial island shores to Antarctic sea ice, from warm temperate rain forest
to windswept tussock flat. Penguins are amphibious, and among the
most aquatic of birds; many species spend at least half their lives in
water.
This study examines the terrestrial and aquatic environments of
penguins, discussing possible environmental influences on morphology
and behaviour especially in relation to thermal balance. Mechanisms of
heat regulation have recently been examined in a range of tropical birds
and mammals, including man; for reviews and discussion see contributions by Irving, West and Dawson in Hannon and Viereck (1962), King
and Farner (1961) and Irving and Dill (1964). Although the wide geographical spread and morphological uniformity of penguins recommend
them especially for comparative studies in this field, few experimental
observations have so far been recorded for any species, and the
background of descriptive ecology is far from complete. This review
131
of Penguins
B. S T O N E H O U S E
Department of Zoology, Canterbury University, Christchuwh, New Zealad
I. Introduction ......................................................... 131
11. The Environment .....................................................
136
A. Species Distribution and Numbers.. .................................
136
B. Sea Temperatures and Terrestrial Climates.. ..........................
168
C. Food, Nest Sites and Predators.. ....................................
166
111. Morphology, Metabolism and Heat Balance. .............................
173
A. Form and Metaboli sm ..............................................
173
B. Heat Balance: Some Conclusions.. ..................................
188
Acknowledgments ......................................................... 191
References ...............................................................
192
I. INTRODUCTION
Penguins (family Spheniscidae) are flightless marine birds, ecologically
distinct and taxonomically remote from all other birds. Prominent in
Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic, they are also distributed widely in the
temperate zone of the southmn hemisphere and reach northern limits
on the Galapagos Islands, the north Peruvian coast, south-western Africa
and southern Australia. Their ecological settings range from bare equatorial island shores to Antarctic sea ice, from warm temperate rain forest
to windswept tussock flat. Penguins are amphibious, and among the
most aquatic of birds; many species spend at least half their lives in
water.
This study examines the terrestrial and aquatic environments of
penguins, discussing possible environmental influences on morphology
and behaviour especially in relation to thermal balance. Mechanisms of
heat regulation have recently been examined in a range of tropical birds
and mammals, including man; for reviews and discussion see contributions by Irving, West and Dawson in Hannon and Viereck (1962), King
and Farner (1961) and Irving and Dill (1964). Although the wide geographical spread and morphological uniformity of penguins recommend
them especially for comparative studies in this field, few experimental
observations have so far been recorded for any species, and the
background of descriptive ecology is far from complete. This review
131