Scientists have identified a new penguin species after an extensive genetic study revealed that gentoo penguins, long treated as a single species, are actually four separate species spread across the Southern Ocean. The findings, published in the journal Communications Biology, represent the most detailed genetic and physical examination of gentoo penguins conducted so far.
The newly described species, named “Pygoscelis kerguelensis,” has been called the southeastern gentoo penguin because it is found around the Kerguelen Islands in the southern Indian Ocean. Researchers said this new penguin species is medium in size, smaller than the gentoo penguins found in South America but larger than those living in Antarctica.
To reach their conclusions, researchers examined the genomes of 64 gentoo penguins collected from ten breeding colonies across the Southern Ocean. They paired that genetic information with body measurements taken from museum specimens, some dating back to the 1870s, and with environmental data such as ocean temperature, salinity, and food availability in each region.
How genomic testing uncovered a new penguin species
The analysis confirmed four distinct gentoo penguin groups that have been evolving separately for hundreds of thousands of years. Along with the newly identified southeastern gentoo, these include the northern gentoo, found in South America and the Falkland Islands; the southern gentoo, native to Antarctica and nearby islands; and the eastern gentoo, found on the Crozet, Marion and Macquarie islands.
🐧 For the first time in over 100 years, a brand new penguin species has been discovered! Scientists proved via genetic analysis that Gentoo penguins on the Kerguelen Islands are actually four distinct species, not one. The new species is named "Pygoscelis kerguelensis".… pic.twitter.com/OW77jOD0E5
— Timeless Curiosities ✨ (@XzeokaX) September 22, 2026
Researchers said each group carries genetic traits suited to its own environment. Penguins in colder southern waters showed changes linked to heat production and fat storage, while those in warmer, more productive northern waters showed changes tied to digestion and heart function, both useful for frequent foraging.
The study also points to an uncertain future for some of these birds. Using climate models for the year 2050, researchers found that the northern, eastern and southeastern gentoo species are likely to lose much of their suitable ocean habitat as temperatures rise. The southern gentoo, by contrast, is expected to gain a small amount of range near the Antarctic Peninsula.
Climate models predict habitat losses for Antarctic penguins
At present, the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists all gentoo penguins together as a single species under the “Least Concern” category. Researchers said that status should be reexamined now that the birds have been split into four separate species, since some are already shrinking in number.
Breeding pairs on Macquarie Island have fallen by half over the past three generations, and one monitored colony in the Crozet Islands dropped by nearly a third between 1992 and 2018.
Researchers said treating these penguins as separate species could lead to more accurate population tracking and stronger protections for the groups facing the greatest risk.
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