Archaeopteryx genus is classed as an Enantiornithian. The Enantiornithians were half dino (head, teeth, claws and legs were that of a saurian dinosaur) and half bird (had feathers and wings). In the evolutionary sequence of dinosaur to bird (known from fossil evidence), the first feathered dinosaurs known were the Maniraptorans 190 million years ago. One Maniraptoran was ancestral to Enantiornithians, which we begin to find 175 million years ago. One Enantiornithian was ancestral to Ornithurians (primitive proto birds) 120 million years ago. And finally, one Ornithurian was ancestral to Neornithes (modern birds) whose lineage starts 90 million years ago.
Note–at least one other Maniraptoran species was ancestral to other species of dinosaurs that had feathers, such as velociraptors and even tyrannosaurids. These later feathered theropod dinosaurs are not in the evolutionary lineage of birds.
It is known from studies on the molecular genetics of feathers (Brusch, et.al.) that feathers first evolved for purposes of thermoregulation (keeping warm) and that their aerodynamic properties were serendipitous.
Follow up to James, below: Vitually all paleontologists doubt that the so-called Protoavis is related to birds or even a valid species, because of the circumstances of its discovery, and unconvincing avian synapomorphies in its fragmentary material. When they were found at a Dockum Formation quarry in the Texas panhandle in 1984, in a sedimentary strata of a Triassic river delta, the fossils were a jumbled cache of disarticulated dinosaur and other bones that may reflect an incident of mass mortality following a flash flood.
Archaeopteryx is a feathered dinosaur from the middle of the Jurassic, about 150 million years old. It has intermediate features linking birds with dinosaurs, such as teeth and feathers. Dinosaurs are reptiles.
Archaeopteryx has long been seen as a ‘missing link’ between the two groups. But there is a problem, because an earlier bird, called Protoavis, has been found that is 225 million years old. Dinosaurs date to this time as well, 225 million years ago, the early Triassic.
The difficulty is that if dinosaurs are ancestral to birds, and if Protavis is as old as the oldest dinosaurs, then dinosaurs cannot be ancestral to birds.
Further, Archaeopteryx may just be an evolutionary convergent of birds, in terms of the traits of feathers. And no bird has teeth, which is another problem, as Archaeopteryx does have teeth.
Regardless of whether or not Archaeopteryx is the dinosaur and bird link, it is still an extremely fascinating example of the evolutionary process.
Archeopteryx is one of those species under the first birds but still I believe that this ancient bird is already more of bird than reptile than a 50-50 percent of both.
July 14th, 2009
Posted in
isnt that the dino bird that has wings ,can fly and also has scales like a reptile? There is the connection.
Archaeopteryx genus is classed as an Enantiornithian. The Enantiornithians were half dino (head, teeth, claws and legs were that of a saurian dinosaur) and half bird (had feathers and wings). In the evolutionary sequence of dinosaur to bird (known from fossil evidence), the first feathered dinosaurs known were the Maniraptorans 190 million years ago. One Maniraptoran was ancestral to Enantiornithians, which we begin to find 175 million years ago. One Enantiornithian was ancestral to Ornithurians (primitive proto birds) 120 million years ago. And finally, one Ornithurian was ancestral to Neornithes (modern birds) whose lineage starts 90 million years ago.
Note–at least one other Maniraptoran species was ancestral to other species of dinosaurs that had feathers, such as velociraptors and even tyrannosaurids. These later feathered theropod dinosaurs are not in the evolutionary lineage of birds.
It is known from studies on the molecular genetics of feathers (Brusch, et.al.) that feathers first evolved for purposes of thermoregulation (keeping warm) and that their aerodynamic properties were serendipitous.
Follow up to James, below: Vitually all paleontologists doubt that the so-called Protoavis is related to birds or even a valid species, because of the circumstances of its discovery, and unconvincing avian synapomorphies in its fragmentary material. When they were found at a Dockum Formation quarry in the Texas panhandle in 1984, in a sedimentary strata of a Triassic river delta, the fossils were a jumbled cache of disarticulated dinosaur and other bones that may reflect an incident of mass mortality following a flash flood.
Archaeopteryx is a feathered dinosaur from the middle of the Jurassic, about 150 million years old. It has intermediate features linking birds with dinosaurs, such as teeth and feathers. Dinosaurs are reptiles.
Archaeopteryx has long been seen as a ‘missing link’ between the two groups. But there is a problem, because an earlier bird, called Protoavis, has been found that is 225 million years old. Dinosaurs date to this time as well, 225 million years ago, the early Triassic.
The difficulty is that if dinosaurs are ancestral to birds, and if Protavis is as old as the oldest dinosaurs, then dinosaurs cannot be ancestral to birds.
Further, Archaeopteryx may just be an evolutionary convergent of birds, in terms of the traits of feathers. And no bird has teeth, which is another problem, as Archaeopteryx does have teeth.
Regardless of whether or not Archaeopteryx is the dinosaur and bird link, it is still an extremely fascinating example of the evolutionary process.
Archeopteryx is one of those species under the first birds but still I believe that this ancient bird is already more of bird than reptile than a 50-50 percent of both.