World of Dinosaurs/Archaeopteryx

Basics Archaeopteryx means "old-wing". Archaeopteryx lived during the late Jurassic period. Anatomy Archaeopteryx is the most basal bird found so far. As the most basal bird, it has characteristics of both theropods and birds. Phylogeny Archaeopteryx is a bird and a theropod. All theropods are dinosaurs. All dinosaurs are amniotes and all dinosaurs are tetrapods. Biomechanics Using color pigmentation studies, paleontologists determined that Archaeopteryx probably had black feathers. Fossil Record Most of the fossils found of Archaeopteryx have been found in Bavaria, southern Germany Ecology Archaeopteryx is found in a layer of rocks with a multitude of insect fossils. However, this same layer has relatively few fossils of trees preserved. Biogeography Rocks from the Jurassic period indicate hotter, wetter conditions than we experience on Earth today. Rocks do not show signs of ice caps near the poles, of traveling ice-bergs, or other signs of "ice house" conditions.