Whilst holidaying in Berlin we took time out from the 'Christmas Markets' to visit this fabulous museum.
The fossil was discovered between 1874 and 1876 near Eichstätt in Germany.
Archaeopteryx is seen as a link between dinosaurs and birds and exhibits features of both.
The long tail, clearly visible in my photograph, is a characteristic of dinosaurs, while the tail feathers are typical for birds.
Archaeopteryx unlike birds, but very like meat eating dinosaurs, had a mouth full of sharp pointed teeth.
You can just get a hint of the presence of teeth in the enlargement taken from my photograph.
The long asymmetrical wingfeathers, the elongated arm and the collarbone show a clear similarity with modern birds but the three clawed fingers, visible in my other enlargement, are a trait of dinosaurs.
Archaeopteryx lived in the Late Jurassic period 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. It was similar in size to a magpie, with the largest individuals possibly attaining the size of a raven. Since its first discovery, its ability to fly over an above gliding has been the subject of much debate. No one is sure whether it was arboreal, living primarily in bushes and trees, or instead spent most of its day on the ground similar to a chicken. Did it learn to fly by swooping down or by flapping up? Your guess is as good as mine!
For more information:
https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/beta/exhibit/IwJyj85ySOZ4JQ
https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/beta/exhibit/SAIS0scq48ZZIA
Credits: Berlin Museum fur Naturkunde and Wikipedia.
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