An Archaeopteryx was a bird-like dinosaur from the Late Jurassic period. The Archaeopteryx had several avian features, including a wishbone, feathers, and thin bones. Archaeopteryx feathers were black and similar to modern bird feathers.
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Some Quick Facts About the Archaeopteryx
| Name | Archaeopteryx lithographica (meaning “Ancient Wing”) |
| Type of dinosaur | Paraves Theropoda |
| Territory | Forests of a Late Jurassic island that is now Southern Germany |
| Size | Small dino, 1.7 feet long, 2.25-foot wingspan, around 9 inches tall |
| Color | Glossy black feathers with white dapples |
| Interesting Characteristics | Jaw full of sharp teeth, bony tail |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Major Threats | Compsognathus and other carnivores |
The Archaeopteryx was one of the smallest dinos from the Mesozoic Era. These tiny bird-like dinosaurs inspired paleontologists to consider the dino link to the origin of birds! The German name for Archaeopteryx is “Urvogel,” which means “first bird.”
How big was the Archaeopteryx?
The Archaeopteryx was small, like a raven, but it wasn’t the smallest dino. There were lots of teeny tiny dinos, including the Microraptor and the Compsognathus. More recently, and hummingbird-sized lizard dino named Oculudentavis was discovered in a drop of amber!
The Archaeopteryx wasn’t even the smallest of the flying dinos. Pterosaurs aren’t technically dinos, but they lived in the Mesozoic Era among the dinos. The tiny Pterosaur called Nemicolopterus from China was about the size of a small bat.
Was an Archaeopteryx a Bird or a Dinosaur?
Paleontologists are still studying Archaeopteryx fossil records. They are trying to figure out exactly where this winged Theropod dinosaur fits in. Discoveries like Xiaotingia and new specimens of Archaeopteryx support the Archaeopteryx’s connection to the Avialae clade.
Avialae contains the only living dinosaurs, which are modern birds. Right now, the Archaeopteryx is considered the earliest known avian. Even though it is a Theropod dinosaur, Archaeopteryx is more closely related to birds than raptors like Deinonychus.
Could the Archaeopteryx Fly?
Paleontologists have divided opinions about whether the Archaeopteryx was a true flyer or a glider. Based on Archaeopteryx fossils, many scientists believe the Archaeopteryx had strong flight capabilities. The Archaeopteryx could also run and climb trees, so it might have glided from tree to tree like the Microraptor.
New studies suggest that the Archaeopteryx could fly, but its powered flight was different from modern birds. This means that the Archaeopteryx possibly had a completely different flying style than anything scientists have ever seen! This early bird-like dinosaur truly was an amazing species.
Why is the Archaeopteryx so famous?
The Archaeopteryx was an exciting find for paleontologist Hermann von Meyer and the first evidence of a missing link between dinos and modern birds. Several specimens of Archaeopteryx came up in the late 1860s in the Solnhofen Limestone in Bavaria, Germany. But the first discovery was a fossilized Archaeopteryx feather.
The discovery of the Archaeopteryx also confirmed Charles Darwin’s theory about the origin of birds. When Darwin published The Origin of Species in 1859, many scientists believed birds didn’t exist before the end of the Cretaceous period and the extinction of dinos. The Archaeopteryx proved that ancestors of Aves (birds) lived millions of years earlier!
What is the Difference between Archaeopteryx and Modern Birds?
Even though Archaeopteryx looked a lot like modern birds, it still had a lot of dino features. It had a long bony tail that was stiff. It also had small, sharp teeth.
The Archaeopteryx shared a lot of features with Maniraptora Theropods. Maniraptora were feathered Theropods like Aurornis, Therizinosaurus, and Microraptor. In addition to the tail and teeth, Maniraptora also had a hyper-extendible second toe.
It’s hard to believe such exciting leaps in paleontology came from a single Archaeopteryx feather in 1860. That feather is still in Germany, safely stored in the Natural History Museum of Berlin. Over 100 years later, there is still much to learn about this fascinating feathered dinosaur.