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Produced
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Produced
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The
Jurassic: Archaeopteryx |
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| Archaeopteryx
is the earliest known and most primitive bird found to date, which lived
during the late Jurassic period (Wikipedia 2010) in forest near lakes
of Western Europe (Strauss 2010, Palaeos 2007). All of the 11 fossils
of Archaeopteryx are from Germany, when Europe was a set of islands
forming an archipelago in tropical seas (Wikipedia 2010). This species
possesses both bird and reptile-like characteristics. They are similar
in size of both the Pigeon and to the European Magpie (Palaeos 2007, Wikipedia
2010). It was extremely primitive; however, it was probably capable of
flight (Palaeos 2007), possessing broad, feathered wings (Wikipedia 2007).
Regardless of all the bird-like characters of this species, Archaeopteryx
still has more in common with small theropod dinosaurs than it does with
common birds (Wikipedia 2010). These reptilian characteristics included:
a long, bony tail, flat breastbone, three claws extending from the middle
of each wing, jaws with sharp teeth, hyperextensible second toes, and
other various skeletal features (Strauss 2010, Wikipedia 2010). These
characteristics nominate this species as the prime candidate for the transitional
fossil between dinosaurs and birds (Strauss 2007, Wikipedia 2010). Page by Matt Medlin |
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| Archaeopteryx fossil - the Berlin specimen. Picture From: palaeos.com | |
| Wikipedia contributors. 2010. Archaeopteryx. Accessed March 30, 2010. White AT. 2007. Aves. Palaeos.com. Accessed March 30, 2010. Strauss B. 2010. Archaeopteryx. Dinosarus.about.com. Accessed March 30, 2010. . |