Overview
Archaeopteryx is one of the most important fossils in the history of palaeontology. Discovered just two years after Darwin published On the Origin of Species, it immediately provided stunning evidence for evolution — a creature perfectly intermediate between reptiles and birds. It had the feathers and wishbone of a bird, but also teeth, three clawed fingers on each wing, and a long bony tail. Whether it could actively fly or only glide remains debated.
Key fact
The evolutionary missing link between non-avian dinosaurs and modern birds — it had feathers and wings, but also teeth, clawed fingers, and a bony tail.
Did you know?
- Discovered just 2 years after Darwin published On the Origin of Species — perfect timing.
- Had fully formed flight feathers, identical in structure to those of modern birds.
- Still had teeth and clawed wing-fingers — features lost in all modern birds.
- The Solnhofen specimen is so well-preserved you can see individual feather barbules.