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Archaeopteryx lithographica, is the earliest bird in the
fossil record, coming from the Late Jurassic lithographic limestone near
Solnhofen, Germany. The first specimen was found in 1861, almost
coincident with Darwin's publication of Origin of Species two years
later, and eight more have since been found.
Archaeopteryx was about the size of a crow with short,
broad wings and a long tail. While its feathers were similar to those of
living birds, it had jaws lined with sharp teeth, three fingers ending
in curving claws, and a long bony tail, in stark contrast to modern
birds.
It was immediately recognized
by Thomas Henry Huxley that Archaeopteryx was a wonderful example
of a transitional form between dinosaurs and birds, supporting Darwin's
theory of evolution. This fossil shares many features with dinosaurs,
including large, feathered wings underlain by long forelimbs that
include three clawed fingers. This First Bird also had a long bony tail,
instead of the short pygostyle that supports modern birds' tails, and
toothy jaws. The finding of many feathered dinosaurs since the 1990s has
only strengthened this conclusion. |
