Fossil Novembirb: Day 3 - Race to the Sea
During the start of the Cenozoic, the oceans were relatively empty. Gone were the great marine reptiles like mosasaurs and plesiosaurs, as were ammonites and many large predatory fish. As soon as birds could, they entered the ocean to reap its bounties, whether by flying over the surface or diving to the depths. This is especially evident in Aotearoa (New Zealand), where lots of early seabirds, including the first penguins, were found in Paleocene sediments dating about 62 million years ago.
Kumimanu: One of the largest known penguins, and one of the earliest, standing over 1,5 metres tall and weighing 90-150 kilograms.
Sequiwaimanu: Another early penguin, known from a skull that preserves a long, spear-like beak.
Muriwaimanu: A relatively small early penguin. Like other early penguins, it had relatively long legs and somewhat flexible wings.
Kupoupou: A small early penguin with derived traits, like a flipper-like wing and short legs.
Waimanu: The earliest known penguin, and also relatively large at the size of the modern king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus)
Protodontopteryx: The earliest known pelagornithid, large soaring marine birds. This earliest member of the family sports a "modest" 2-metre wingspan.
Clymenoptilon: An early representative of tropicbirds that may have lived somewhat like a tern.
