World of Dinosaurs/Archaeopteryx

Basics

Archaeopteryx means "old-wing".

Archaeopteryx lived during the late Jurassic period.

Anatomy

Archaeopteryx is the most basal bird found so far.

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

Phylogeny

Archaeopteryx is a bird and a theropod.

All theropods are dinosaurs.

All dinosaurs are amniotes and all dinosaurs are tetrapods.

Biomechanics

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

Fossil Record

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

Ecology

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

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.