While some species become bigger over time, others tend to shrink - that's why some animals of the past were so huge.
A new article claims that there were once penguins thrice the size of the penguins we see now.
Let's find out more!
Unusual fossils
Scientists have discovered ancient remains of the largest penguin ever known to exist, weighing a staggering 340 pounds.
These fossils belonged to a newly identified species which lived over 55 million years ago in modern New Zealand.
The rocks containing the fossils date back to approximately 59-55.5 million years ago.
How big they were?
By comparing the size and density of the newly found bones with those of modern species, researchers found out that the previously found specie weighed a bit more 100 pounds, while the newest specie weighed trice of that.
This discovery surpasses the previously largest known penguin specie, which was about 256 pounds and 6.6 feet tall.
The new findings provide more insights into the early evolution of penguins and suggest that gigantism evolved early on in the penguin lineage.
The unique environmental conditions of ancient New Zealand likely contributed to the emergence and success of giant penguins.
