description Icadyptes salasi Overview
Icadyptes salasi is an extinct penguin from the Eocene of coastal Peru, dating to roughly 36 million years ago. It was described in 2007 from fossil material and is notable for its long, narrow bill, which was unusually elongated compared with the bills of living penguins. The species belongs to the early evolutionary history of penguins and shows that large-bodied forms had already appeared during the Eocene.
help Icadyptes salasi FAQ
When and where did Icadyptes salasi live?
Icadyptes salasi was an extinct giant penguin from the Late Eocene of coastal Peru. Fossil-bearing sediments in the Otuma Formation are dated to about 36 million years ago. ([Journal of Anatomy](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2526106/))
How large was Icadyptes salasi?
It is estimated to have stood about 1.5 metres tall, making it far larger than living little penguins and comparable in height to a small adult human. Its long, spear-like bill was about 20 centimetres in length. ([Nature](https://www.nature.com/news/2007/070625/full/news070625-3.html))
Why is Icadyptes salasi important to penguin evolution?
Its fossils show that penguins were living in warm, near-equatorial waters during the Eocene rather than being restricted to cold southern seas. The discovery pushed evidence for tropical penguins much earlier in the fossil record than previously expected. ([PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18564073/))
What do the names Icadyptes and salasi refer to?
Icadyptes combines Ica, the Peruvian region where the fossil was found, with the Greek root dyptes, meaning diver. The species name salasi honors the Peruvian paleontologist Rodolfo Salas Gismondi. ([Icadyptes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icadyptes))
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