Archaeopterygidae
E674152
Archaeopterygidae is an extinct family of early bird-like dinosaurs that includes Archaeopteryx and represents a key transitional group between non-avian dinosaurs and modern birds.
Statements (46)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
extinct family of dinosaurs
ⓘ
paravian theropod clade ⓘ taxonomic family ⓘ |
| anatomicalFeature |
furcula (wishbone)
ⓘ
lightly built, hollow bones ⓘ partially reversed first toe (hallux) in some specimens ⓘ relatively long forelimbs ⓘ |
| bodySize | small ⓘ |
| clade |
Avialae
ⓘ
Paraves NERFINISHED ⓘ Theropoda NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| class | Aves NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| closelyRelatedTo | Deinonychosauria NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| containsTypeGenus | Archaeopteryx NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| controversies | placement within Aves versus non-avian theropods ⓘ |
| diet | carnivorous ⓘ |
| ecologicalRole | small carnivorous vertebrates ⓘ |
| environment | Late Jurassic lagoonal and island ecosystems ⓘ |
| firstDescribedFrom | 19th century fossils ⓘ |
| fossilPreservation | exceptional soft-tissue and feather impressions ⓘ |
| fossilRange | Tithonian NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| fossilRecord | primarily known from Solnhofen Limestone ⓘ |
| geographicDistribution | present-day Germany ⓘ |
| geologicalFormation | Solnhofen Limestone NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| hasCharacteristic |
asymmetrical flight feathers
ⓘ
clawed fingers on the wing ⓘ feathered wings ⓘ long bony tail ⓘ mix of avian and reptilian traits ⓘ teeth in jaws ⓘ |
| hasMorphology | theropod-like skeleton with avian adaptations ⓘ |
| importanceInPaleontology |
evidence for dinosaur–bird transition
ⓘ
historically central to debates on bird origins ⓘ |
| includesTaxon | Archaeopteryx NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| kingdom | Animalia ⓘ |
| locomotion | powered flight or gliding ⓘ |
| notableFor |
early evolution of flight in theropods
ⓘ
transitional features between non-avian dinosaurs and birds ⓘ |
| phylum | Chordata ⓘ |
| relatedTo |
early birds
ⓘ
non-avian theropod dinosaurs ⓘ |
| scientificSignificance |
key taxon for understanding origin of avian flight
ⓘ
model group for studying feather evolution ⓘ |
| status | extinct ⓘ |
| taxonRank | family ⓘ |
| temporalRange | Late Jurassic ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.