World of Dinosaurs/Archaeopteryx

Basics

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Archaeopteryx means "old-wing".

Archaeopteryx lived during the late Jurassic period.

Anatomy

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Archaeopteryx is the most basal bird found so far.

As the most basal bird, it has characteristics of both theropods and birds.

Phylogeny

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Archaeopteryx is a bird and a theropod.

All theropods are dinosaurs.

All dinosaurs are amniotes and all dinosaurs are tetrapods.

Biomechanics

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Using color pigmentation studies, paleontologists determined that Archaeopteryx probably had black feathers.

Fossil Record

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Most of the fossils found of Archaeopteryx have been found in Bavaria, southern Germany

Ecology

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Archaeopteryx is found in a layer of rocks with a multitude of insect fossils.

However, this same layer has relatively few fossils of trees preserved.

Biogeography

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Rocks from the Jurassic period indicate hotter, wetter conditions than we experience on Earth today.

Rocks do not show signs of ice caps near the poles, of traveling ice-bergs, or other signs of "ice house" conditions.