Archaeopteryx Skull Plaque

$10.00

Archaeopteryx lived in the late Jurassic Period around 150 – 145 million years ago. Despite its small size, broad wings, and inferred ability to fly or glide, Archaeopteryx has more in common with small theropod dinosaurs than it does with modern birds.

Description

Archaeopteryx Skull Plaque from the Jurassic bird. Archaeopteryx Skull Plaque is museum quality polyurethane cast. Solnhofen, Germany. Possible tree dweller and glider. Archaeopteryx referred to by its German name Urvogel or ‘original bird’ or ‘first bird’, is a genus of bird-like dinosaurs that is transitional between non-avian feathered dinosaurs and modern birds.

Archaeopteryx or Archaeopteryx siemensii ‘old wing’; 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.

Between the late 19th century and the early 21st century, Archaeopteryx had been generally accepted by palaeontologists and popular reference books as the oldest known bird (member of the group Avialae).

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 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.

Archaeopteryx or Archaeopteryx siemensii was roughly the size of a raven, with broad wings that were rounded at the ends and a long tail compared to its body length. It could reach up to 20 in. in body length, with an estimated mass of 1.8 to 2.2 lbs.

Archaeopteryx feathers, although less documented than its other features, were very similar in structure to modern-day bird feathers.

Despite the presence of numerous avian features, Archaeopteryx or Archaeopteryx siemensii had many non-avian theropod dinosaur characteristics. Unlike modern birds, Archaeopteryx had small teeth, as well as a long bony tail, features which Archaeopteryx shared with other dinosaurs of the time.

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Additional information

Weight 2 lbs
Archaeopteryx Facts

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade: Theropoda
Clade: Avialae
Family: †Archaeopterygidae
Genus: †Archaeopteryx
Type species: †Archaeopteryx lithographica
Conservation Status: Extinct