Archaeopteryx

Archeopteryx is thought to be the first bird. The fossil specimens of Archeopteryx were found in the Solnhofen Limestone Formation in Bavaria, Germany. It is the oldest known fossil animal and the fossil contains clear impressions of feathers. Archeopteryx had a skull like those of birds, with an expanded braincase,large eye sockets, and a pronounced beak. However, it had well-developed teeth unlike modern birds. It had a long, well-developed tail, similar to that of small dinosaurs, but it also had feathers in a row on either side of its tail. Its hind legs had three claws at their extremities and were bird-like. It had well-developed wings and the structure and arrangement of its feathers indicated it could fly. It also had a theropod-like skeletal anatomy leading some experts to believe that it was a dinosaur with feathers. Archaeopteryx was dominant during the Jurassic Period.

This page submitted to WebDoGS by:

Brian Wigginton
GLY 102 Historical Geology student, University of Kentucky