Archaeopteryx lithographica
Pronounced AR-kee-OP-ter-iks lith-oh-GRAF-ih-kah
Avialae · Archaeopterygidae
A raven-sized feathered theropod from the Late Jurassic limestones of Solnhofen, Bavaria. Usually placed at the base of Avialae, the bird lineage, but it is a transitional animal, not the ancestor of modern birds.
- Feathered
- Bipedal
- Exceptional preservation
- Famous specimen
- Transitional fossil
- Period
- Jurassic· Tithonian
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Length
- 0.5 m
- Mass
- Unknown
- Location
- Germany, Bavaria
Quick answers
- How big was Archaeopteryx lithographica?
- Archaeopteryx lithographica was about 0.5 m long. It stood about 0.1–0.2 m tall at the hips. (Wellnhofer 2009; Paul 2016)
- When did Archaeopteryx lithographica live?
- Archaeopteryx lithographica lived during the Late Jurassic, about 149.2–145 million years ago. (Cohen et al. 2023; Rauhut et al. 2018)
- Where have Archaeopteryx lithographica fossils been found?
- Fossils of Archaeopteryx lithographica have been found in Solnhofen Formation (Bavaria) and Germany. (von Meyer 1861; Xu et al. 2011)
- What did Archaeopteryx lithographica eat?
- Archaeopteryx lithographica was a carnivore. (von Meyer 1861; Xu et al. 2011)
- Who named Archaeopteryx lithographica, and when?
- Archaeopteryx lithographica was described by Hermann von Meyer in 1861. (von Meyer 1861)
On this page
- Period
- Jurassic149.2–145 Ma
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Length
- 0.5 m
- Mass
- Unknown
- Location
- Germany
- Classification
- Avialae · Archaeopterygidae
- Described
- 1861, Hermann von Meyer
Overview
Archaeopteryx lithographica lived about 150 million years ago, in the Late Jurassic, on islands in a warm lagoon sea that covered what is now southern Germany. Its fossils come from the fine lithographic limestones around Solnhofen and Eichstätt in Bavaria. Hermann von Meyer named it in 1861 from a single feather; a nearly complete skeleton, now in London, turned up the same year.
It mixed features of birds and of other small theropods: flight feathers on arms and tail, but also teeth, clawed fingers and a long bony tail. Found two years after On the Origin of Species, it became the classic example of a transitional fossil. Later specimens, such as the one described by Foth, Tischlinger and Rauhut (2014), show pennaceous feathers on the legs as well.
It is popularly called the "first bird", but that phrase needs care. Most analyses place it at or near the base of Avialae, the group that includes modern birds, yet Xu et al. (2011) recovered it closer to Deinonychus and Velociraptor. It is best read as an early member of the bird lineage, not the direct ancestor of living birds, and many feathered dinosaurs from China now blur the line it once drew.
Name meaning
From Greek archaios ("ancient") and pteryx ("feather, wing"); lithographica refers to the lithographic limestone it was found in (von Meyer 1861).
Biology & evidence
What scientists think about how this animal lived, and how strong the evidence for each idea is.
Locomotion
Archaeopteryx could fly actively, probably in short bursts.
Evidence level: Moderate evidenceIts feathers have the asymmetric shape of flight feathers and its wing bones match those of birds that flap in short bursts. Its shoulder was less advanced than modern birds', so it was not a strong flier.
Evidence for / against · 2
Evidence for
Histology · Archaeopteryx wing bone cross-sections
Synchrotron scans of wing bones show thin walls and a geometry closer to birds that flap in short bursts than to non-flying animals.
Feather impression · Archaeopteryx flight feather impressions
Asymmetric flight feathers on the wings and a pair of rows along the tail, preserved in the limestone around the skeletons.
Specimen: NHMUK PV OR 37001 “London specimen”, MB.Av.101 “Berlin specimen”
Skin & covering
At least some of the feathers of Archaeopteryx were black.
Evidence level: Moderate evidencePigment structures preserved in one isolated feather match those of black feathers in living birds. It says nothing about the rest of the plumage, and the feather's owner is assumed to be Archaeopteryx.
Evidence for / against · 1
Evidence for
Feather impression · Melanosomes in the isolated Archaeopteryx feather
Fossil pigment structures (melanosomes) in the 1861 feather, compared with living birds, indicate a dark, probably matte black colour.
Feathers
Archaeopteryx had flight feathers on its arms, tail and legs.
Evidence level: Direct evidenceThe feathers are preserved as impressions in the fine limestone, including asymmetric wing feathers like those of flying birds and, in one specimen, pennaceous leg feathers.
Evidence for / against · 1
Evidence for
Feather impression · Archaeopteryx flight feather impressions
Asymmetric flight feathers on the wings and a pair of rows along the tail, preserved in the limestone around the skeletons.
Specimen: NHMUK PV OR 37001 “London specimen”, MB.Av.101 “Berlin specimen”
Other
Archaeopteryx is an early member of the bird lineage (Avialae).
Evidence level: Moderate evidenceMost family-tree analyses put it at the base of the bird lineage, but some place it closer to Velociraptor. It is best read as a close relative near the origin of birds, not the ancestor of living birds.
Evidence for / against · 1
Evidence for
Phylogenetic inference · Phylogenetic analyses placing Archaeopteryx
Most analyses recover Archaeopteryx as the earliest avialan; Xu et al. (2011) recovered it among deinonychosaurs instead.
Size
- Length
- 0.5 m
- Height
- 0.2 mpublished range 0.1–0.2 m
- Mass
- Unknown
(1.6 ft)
Based on Largest known specimens
(0.5 ft)
Based on Berlin and Thermopolis specimens
Timeline
Periods: Tithonian (149.2–145 Ma), Late Jurassic (161.5–145 Ma)
Ages are the ICS 2023/09 bounds of the Tithonian, the stage(s) the fossils are assigned to; they bracket the record and are not dated first/last appearances. Rauhut et al. (2018) place the oldest specimen (Schamhaupten) at the Kimmeridgian/Tithonian boundary; most specimens are early Tithonian.
Location
Formations
- Solnhofen Formation · Bavaria
- Langenaltheim near Solnhofen, Bavaria · Solnhofen Formation · Bavaria · position approximate
These are the places where fossils have been found, not the full area where the animal lived.
Ecosystem
Lived in: Solnhofen archipelago
152–150 million years ago · island, marine margin, other
Warm, shallow lagoons behind reefs, dotted with low, dry islands, on the northern margin of the Tethys Sea in the Late Jurassic. The stagnant, salty bottom water let fine lime mud bury carcasses in exceptional detail.
Same ecosystem
Classification
- cladeDinosauria
- cladeSaurischia
- cladeTheropoda
- cladeCoelurosauria
- cladeManiraptora
- cladeAvialae
- familyArchaeopterygidae
- genusArchaeopteryx
- speciesArchaeopteryx lithographica
Taxonomic status: Valid
Fossil record
| Catalog number | Status | Institution | Found |
|---|---|---|---|
| NHMUK PV OR 37001 “London specimen” | Neotype | Natural History Museum, London (NHMUK) | 1861 |
| MB.Av.101 “Berlin specimen” | Referred specimen | Museum für Naturkunde (MB) | 1876 |
| WDC-CSG-100 “Thermopolis specimen” | Referred specimen | Wyoming Dinosaur Center (WDC) | — |
What has been found
Neotype: NHMUK PV OR 37001 “London specimen”
- Preserved
- Partial
- Reconstructed
- Unknown / not recorded
Neotype: NHMUK PV OR 37001 “London specimen”
Region by region (table)
| Region | State |
|---|---|
| Skull | Partial · Braincase only. |
| Mandible | Unknown / not recorded |
| Teeth | Unknown / not recorded |
| Cervical vertebrae | Unknown / not recorded |
| Dorsal vertebrae | Preserved |
| Sacrum | Unknown / not recorded |
| Caudal vertebrae | Preserved · Long bony tail with feathers. |
| Ribs | Unknown / not recorded |
| Gastralia | Unknown / not recorded |
| Scapula / shoulder girdle | Preserved · Furcula. |
| Humerus | Preserved |
| Forearm (radius / ulna) | Unknown / not recorded |
| Hand (manus) | Preserved |
| Pelvis | Preserved |
| Femur | Preserved |
| Tibia / fibula | Unknown / not recorded |
| Foot (pes) | Preserved |
Referred specimen: MB.Av.101 “Berlin specimen”
Region by region (table)
| Region | State |
|---|---|
| Skull | Preserved |
| Mandible | Preserved |
| Teeth | Preserved |
| Cervical vertebrae | Preserved |
| Dorsal vertebrae | Preserved |
| Sacrum | Unknown / not recorded |
| Caudal vertebrae | Preserved |
| Ribs | Unknown / not recorded |
| Gastralia | Unknown / not recorded |
| Scapula / shoulder girdle | Preserved |
| Humerus | Preserved |
| Forearm (radius / ulna) | Preserved |
| Hand (manus) | Preserved |
| Pelvis | Preserved |
| Femur | Preserved |
| Tibia / fibula | Preserved |
| Foot (pes) | Preserved |
Referred specimen: WDC-CSG-100 “Thermopolis specimen”
Region by region (table)
| Region | State |
|---|---|
| Skull | Preserved |
| Mandible | Unknown / not recorded |
| Teeth | Unknown / not recorded |
| Cervical vertebrae | Unknown / not recorded |
| Dorsal vertebrae | Unknown / not recorded |
| Sacrum | Unknown / not recorded |
| Caudal vertebrae | Unknown / not recorded |
| Ribs | Unknown / not recorded |
| Gastralia | Unknown / not recorded |
| Scapula / shoulder girdle | Unknown / not recorded |
| Humerus | Unknown / not recorded |
| Forearm (radius / ulna) | Unknown / not recorded |
| Hand (manus) | Preserved |
| Pelvis | Unknown / not recorded |
| Femur | Unknown / not recorded |
| Tibia / fibula | Unknown / not recorded |
| Foot (pes) | Preserved |
Discovery
- Year described
- 1861
- Described by
- Hermann von Meyer
- Type specimen
- NHMUK PV OR 37001 (London specimen; neotype replacing the original isolated feather)
Discovery timeline
1861 · Specimen recovered
The London specimen is found
A nearly complete skeleton with feathers is found near Langenaltheim and sold to the British Museum in 1862.
1861 · First material found
The Archaeopteryx feather is named
Hermann von Meyer names Archaeopteryx lithographica from an isolated feather found near Solnhofen.
People: Hermann von Meyer
1863 · Major study
Owen describes the London specimen
Richard Owen describes the skeleton and interprets it as a bird.
People: Richard Owen
1876 · Specimen recovered
The Berlin specimen is found
The most complete specimen, with its skull, is found near Eichstätt.
2011 · Revision
London specimen fixed as neotype
The ICZN designates the London skeleton as the name-bearing type, replacing the isolated feather.
Sources
- Cohen, K. M., Harper, D. A. T., Gibbard, P. L. & Car, N. (2023). International Chronostratigraphic Chart (v2023/09). International Commission on Stratigraphy. https://stratigraphy.org/ICSchart/ChronostratChart2023-09.pdf (opens in a new tab)
- Foth, C., Tischlinger, H. & Rauhut, O. W. M. (2014). New specimen of Archaeopteryx provides insights into the evolution of pennaceous feathers. Nature 511: 79-82. doi:10.1038/nature13467 (opens in a new tab)
- Paul, G. S. (2016). The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs (2nd edition). Princeton University Press.
- Rauhut, O. W. M., Foth, C. & Tischlinger, H. (2018). The oldest Archaeopteryx (Theropoda: Avialiae): a new specimen from the Kimmeridgian/Tithonian boundary of Schamhaupten, Bavaria. PeerJ 6: e4191. doi:10.7717/peerj.4191 (opens in a new tab)
- von Meyer, H. (1861). Archaeopteryx lithographica (Vogel-Feder) und Pterodactylus von Solenhofen. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Geognosie, Geologie und Petrefakten-Kunde 1861: 678-679.
- Wellnhofer, P. (2009). Archaeopteryx: The Icon of Evolution. Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil, München.
- Xu, X., You, H., Du, K. & Han, F. (2011). An Archaeopteryx-like theropod from China and the origin of Avialae. Nature 475: 465-470. doi:10.1038/nature10288 (opens in a new tab)