Archaeopteryx

Archaeopteryx Temporal range: Late Jurassic, 150.8–148.5 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
The Berlin Archaeopteryx specimen (A. siemensii).
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Clade:	Dinosauria
Order:	Saurischia
Suborder:	Theropoda
Clade:	Avialae
Family:	†Archaeopterygidae
Genus:	†Archaeopteryx Meyer, 1861 (conserved name)
Type species
†Archaeopteryx lithographica Meyer, 1861 (conserved name)
Referred species
†Archaeopteryx siemensii Dames, 1897
Synonyms
Genus synonymy Griphosaurus Wagner, 1862 (rejected name) Griphornis Woodward, 1862 (rejected name) Archaeornis Petronievics, 1917 Jurapteryx Howgate, 1984 Wellnhoferia? Elżanowski, 2001 Species synonymy Pterodactylus crassipes Meyer, 1857 (rejected name) Rhamphorhynchus crassipes (Meyer, 1857) (rejected name) Scaphognathus crassipes (Meyer, 1857) Wagner 1861 nomen oblitum Archaeopteryx crassipes (Meyer, 1857) Ostrom 1970 nomen oblitum Griphosaurus problematicus Wagner, 1862 vide Woodward 1862 nomen rejectum Griphornis longicaudatus Owen 1862 vide Woodward 1862 nomen rejectum Griphosaurus longicaudatus (Owen 1862 vide Woodward 1862) Owen 1862 vide Brodkorb 1863 nomen rejectum Archaeopteryx macrura Owen, 1862 (rejected name) Archaeopteryx siemensii? (Dames, 1897) Archaeornis siemensii (Dames, 1897) Peteronievics vide Petroneivics & Woodward 1917 Archaeopteryx owenii Petronievics, 1917 (rejected name) Archaeopteryx recurva Howgate, 1984 Jurapteryx recurva (Howgate, 1984) Howgate 1985 Archaeopteryx bavarica Wellnhofer, 1993 ?Wellnhoferia grandis Elżanowski, 2001

†Archaeopteryx siemensii
Dames, 1897

Archaeopteryx (/ˌɑːrkiːˈɒptərᵻks/), sometimes referred to by its German name Urvogel ("original bird" or "first bird"), is a genus of bird-like dinosaurs that is transitional between non-avian feathered dinosaurs and modern birds. The name derives from the ancient Greek (archaīos) meaning "ancient", and (ptéryx), meaning "feather" or "wing". Between the late nineteenth century and the early twenty-first century, Archaeopteryx had been generally accepted by palaeontologists and popular reference books as the oldest known bird (member of the group Avialae). Older potential avialans have since been identified, including Anchiornis, Xiaotingia, and Aurornis.

Archaeopteryx lived in the Late Jurassic around 150 million years ago, in what is now southern Germany during a time when Europe was an archipelago of islands in a shallow warm tropical sea, much closer to the equator than it is now. Similar in size to a Eurasian magpie, with the largest individuals possibly attaining the size of a raven, the largest species of Archaeopteryx could grow to about 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in) in length. Despite their small size, broad wings, and inferred ability to fly or glide, Archaeopteryx had more in common with other small Mesozoic dinosaurs than with modern birds. In particular, they shared the following features with the dromaeosaurids and troodontids: jaws with sharp teeth, three fingers with claws, a long bony tail, hyperextensible second toes ("killing claw"), feathers (which also suggest warm-bloodedness), and various features of the skeleton.