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Science 2 December 2005:
Vol. 310. no. 5753, pp. 1483 - 1486
DOI: 10.1126/science.1120331
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Reports

A Well-Preserved Archaeopteryx Specimen with Theropod Features

Gerald Mayr,1* Burkhard Pohl,2 D. Stefan Peters1

A nearly complete skeleton of Archaeopteryx with excellent bone preservation shows that the osteology of the urvogel is similar to that of nonavian theropod dinosaurs. The new specimen confirms the presence of a hyperextendible second toe as in dromaeosaurs and troodontids. Archaeopteryx had a plesiomorphic tetraradiate palatine bone and no fully reversed first toe. These observations provide further evidence for the theropod ancestry of birds. In addition, the presence of a hyperextendible second toe blurs the distinction of archaeopterygids from basal deinonychosaurs (troodontids and dromaeosaurs) and challenges the monophyly of Aves.

1 Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, Division of Ornithology, Senckenberganlage 25, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
2 Wyoming Dinosaur Center, 110 Carter Ranch Road, Post Office Box 912, Thermopolis, WY 82443, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: Gerald.Mayr{at}senckenberg.de

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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Corrections and Clarifications.
(2006)
Science 313, 1238a
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Comment on "a well-preserved archaeopteryx specimen with theropod features"..
I. J. Corfe and R. J. Butler (2006)
Science 313, 1238b
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Response to Comment on "A Well-Preserved Archaeopteryx Specimen with Theropod Features".
G. Mayr and D. S. Peters (2006)
Science 313, 1238c
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
John H. Ostrom.
P. Dodson and P. Gingerich (2006)
Am J Sci 306, i-vi
   Full Text »    PDF »


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)