Which penguin genus includes the emperor and king penguins?

Aptenodytes is the penguin genus that includes emperor and king penguins.

The genus contains two living species: the emperor penguin, Aptenodytes forsteri, and the king penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus. Both are large penguins with orange-yellow markings on the sides of the neck and upper chest.

Aptenodytes means “without wings” in Greek, reflecting the birds’ highly modified flippers. Their wings no longer support flight through air, but they are powerful underwater propulsion organs. Both species catch marine prey by diving and swimming rather than flying.

The emperor breeds on Antarctic sea ice, while the king breeds mainly on sub-Antarctic islands. Their similar appearance can lead to confusion, but emperor penguins are larger and have a different breeding cycle. The other major penguin genera include Pygoscelis, Eudyptes and Spheniscus.