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The Glen Murray fossil penguin was one of the first ancient penguins to be reported from the North Island of New Zealand when it was described in 1973. However, its significance for penguin diversity has remained largely unresolved since initial description. Here we show that the Glen Murray penguin exhibits two of three traits that are autapomorphic forKairuku: the femur is very stout with a midshaft width <15% of the total femoral length and the tibiotarsus has a distinctly convex medial border in distal view. The third trait (absence of the crista medialis hypotarsi) cannot be assessed as the proximal end of the tarsometatarsus is missing. The Glen Murray penguin is most likely a distinct species that should be assigned to the genusKairuku, although we refer it toKairukusp. pending the discovery of more material. Reappraisal of local stratigraphy indicates that the Glen Murray fossil penguin is from the Dunphail Siltstone member of the Glen Massey Formation and can be assigned to the lower Whaingaroan stage (34.6–29.8 Ma). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]