Penguins are flightless. Although they have wings, they don’t use them to get airborne and therefore, they don’t fly in the traditional sense we would usually associate with other birds. Being partially aquatic they spend half their lives in water and the other half on land but never in the air.
However, the wing structures of penguins are evolved for swimming, rather than flying in the traditional sense. Penguins swim underwater at speeds of up to 15 to 25 miles per hour. As adept swimmers, penguins spend a lot of time in the water. Some penguins spend up to 75 percent of their lives in the water.
What is maybe more amazing is they can fly up to speeds of 20 miles per hour. When you watch penguins under water you can see the way they move their wings and the forces that are generated by their forelimbs are very similar, if not identical, to the forces of birds that fly in the air.
Even smaller penguins have heavy bones and thick plumage that makes them better swimmers. Birds that have adapted to fly also have very strong chest muscles which allow them to flap their wings and stay afloat in the air. While penguins have strong chest muscles, they are not strong enough to facilitate flight.
So they evolved to “fly” in the water instead. Now some penguin species have branched off and become much smaller and lighter than the Emperor Penguin, such as the Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) at just 1.5kg, but by this time they were a fully distinct order of birds and had adapted to dominate the water.
Does a penguin go through metamorphosis?
The great white shark, lobsters, all snakes, and penguins are included in the incomplete metamorphosis stages. A incomplete metamorphosis has contributed to the unusual success and diversity of insect groups that have this type of life cycle. Egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
What animals do not metamorphose?
Birds cannot metamorphose either, but insects, amphibians and fish. There are different types of metamorphosis in animals, with three main distinctions: complete metamorphosis, partial metamorphosis or no metamorphosis.
Does metamorphosis occur in animals other than insects?
Metamorphosis also happens in animals other than insects. Incomplete metamorphosis occurs in termites, praying mantis, and cockroaches.
Do frogs have gills after metamorphosis?
However, they also have gills. After metamorphosis, the gills disappear and lungs develop. This process may be delayed for several months, depending on the individual species. In anuran animals (tailless amphibians) such as frogs and toads, the metamorphosis is much more complex.