Hidden keys to survival: the type, density, pattern and functional role of emperor penguin body feathers
Antarctic penguins survive some of the harshest conditions on the planet. Emperor penguins breed on the sea ice where temperatures drop below −40°C and forage in −1.8°C waters. Their ability to maintain 38°C body temperature in these conditions is due in large part to their feathered coat. Penguins...
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crroyalsociety:10.1098/rspb.2015.2033 2024-06-02T07:56:43+00:00 Hidden keys to survival: the type, density, pattern and functional role of emperor penguin body feathers Williams, Cassondra L. Hagelin, Julie C. Kooyman, Gerald L. 2015 http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.2033 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rspb.2015.2033 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rspb.2015.2033 en eng The Royal Society https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences volume 282, issue 1817, page 20152033 ISSN 0962-8452 1471-2954 journal-article 2015 crroyalsociety https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.2033 2024-05-07T14:16:40Z Antarctic penguins survive some of the harshest conditions on the planet. Emperor penguins breed on the sea ice where temperatures drop below −40°C and forage in −1.8°C waters. Their ability to maintain 38°C body temperature in these conditions is due in large part to their feathered coat. Penguins have been reported to have the highest contour feather density of any bird, and both filoplumes and plumules (downy feathers) are reported absent in penguins. In studies modelling the heat transfer properties and the potential biomimetic applications of penguin plumage design, the insulative properties of penguin plumage have been attributed to the single afterfeather attached to contour feathers. This attribution of the afterfeather as the sole insulation component has been repeated in subsequent studies. Our results demonstrate the presence of both plumules and filoplumes in the penguin body plumage. The downy plumules are four times denser than afterfeathers and play a key, previously overlooked role in penguin survival. Our study also does not support the report that emperor penguins have the highest contour feather density. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Emperor penguins Sea ice The Royal Society Antarctic Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 282 1817 20152033 |
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Open Polar |
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The Royal Society |
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crroyalsociety |
language |
English |
description |
Antarctic penguins survive some of the harshest conditions on the planet. Emperor penguins breed on the sea ice where temperatures drop below −40°C and forage in −1.8°C waters. Their ability to maintain 38°C body temperature in these conditions is due in large part to their feathered coat. Penguins have been reported to have the highest contour feather density of any bird, and both filoplumes and plumules (downy feathers) are reported absent in penguins. In studies modelling the heat transfer properties and the potential biomimetic applications of penguin plumage design, the insulative properties of penguin plumage have been attributed to the single afterfeather attached to contour feathers. This attribution of the afterfeather as the sole insulation component has been repeated in subsequent studies. Our results demonstrate the presence of both plumules and filoplumes in the penguin body plumage. The downy plumules are four times denser than afterfeathers and play a key, previously overlooked role in penguin survival. Our study also does not support the report that emperor penguins have the highest contour feather density. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Williams, Cassondra L. Hagelin, Julie C. Kooyman, Gerald L. |
spellingShingle |
Williams, Cassondra L. Hagelin, Julie C. Kooyman, Gerald L. Hidden keys to survival: the type, density, pattern and functional role of emperor penguin body feathers |
author_facet |
Williams, Cassondra L. Hagelin, Julie C. Kooyman, Gerald L. |
author_sort |
Williams, Cassondra L. |
title |
Hidden keys to survival: the type, density, pattern and functional role of emperor penguin body feathers |
title_short |
Hidden keys to survival: the type, density, pattern and functional role of emperor penguin body feathers |
title_full |
Hidden keys to survival: the type, density, pattern and functional role of emperor penguin body feathers |
title_fullStr |
Hidden keys to survival: the type, density, pattern and functional role of emperor penguin body feathers |
title_full_unstemmed |
Hidden keys to survival: the type, density, pattern and functional role of emperor penguin body feathers |
title_sort |
hidden keys to survival: the type, density, pattern and functional role of emperor penguin body feathers |
publisher |
The Royal Society |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.2033 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rspb.2015.2033 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rspb.2015.2033 |
geographic |
Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Emperor penguins Sea ice |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Emperor penguins Sea ice |
op_source |
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences volume 282, issue 1817, page 20152033 ISSN 0962-8452 1471-2954 |
op_rights |
https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.2033 |
container_title |
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |
container_volume |
282 |
container_issue |
1817 |
container_start_page |
20152033 |
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1800758348424937472 |