Archaeopteryx
Archaeopteryx
(151-149 mya)
Archaeopteryx is the oldest Jurassic period feathered dinosaur. With its blend of avian and reptilian features, it was long viewed as the earliest known bird. It wandered through Germany airspace about 150-145 million years ago. It was the most primitive transitional specimen between non-avian dinosaurs and modern birds.
Archaeopteryx resembled dinosaur and bird biotypology in equal measure. Its size was estimated at 60 centimetres from a beak to the end of a tail and 500-1000 grams weight. Archaeopteryx brain volume studies revealed that it was thrice as much as contemporary reptiles’ brain volume and equal to the modern birds’ brain size.
Remiges (wing flight feathers) flapping motions played crucial role in aerodynamically favorable interaction with airflow. Archeopteryx contour feathers defined the body outline and provided reptile colour and shape. Keel bone and supracoracoideus tendon lack, shoulder joint minor angle alongside with wing loading estimation suggests that the animal’s powered flight differed from most known birds. Only beautifully glide in the air. Hypothetically, it was unable to adequately fly in all directions, but beautifully glide only.
Archeopteryx shared many anatomic characters not with birds but with dinosaur’s i.e. pelvic bones position: pubic was directed backwards. Unlike living birds Archaeopteryx had well-developed small sharp teeth and the premaxilla bones were subdivided. Moreover, a beak lack was a dinosaur bad luck. From another side Mother Nature gifted it handsome tail.
Presumably, this flying hybrid inhabited area with trees and shrubs. It was capable of feeding in both shrubs and open ground, as well as along the shores of the lagoon. Descrying acceptable prey reptile snapped it or seized it with huge claws.
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