Scientists have classified and named correctly the southeastern gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis kerguelensis), after over a century (100 years), of not describing it correctly.
Pygoscelis kerguelensis is now the correct scientific name for the southeastern gentoo.
They further distinguished it as a new species rather than just a local population.
DNA analysis revealed that there are at least four different species of gentoo penguin – the northern gentoo, southern gentoo, southeastern gentoo, and eastern gentoo.
They conducted genome sequencing of sixty four (64) penguins across ten (10) breeding colonies.
That is how they also uncovered the southeastern Gentoo Penguin.
Their home is on the remote Kerguelen Islands (also known as the Desolation Islands) in the southern Indian Ocean.
Picture: Australian Marine Conservation/ Nathanistic.