Archaeopterygidae
Encyclopedia
The Archaeopterygidae is a group of maniraptora
n dinosaur
s that lived during the late Jurassic
and period.
The order Archaeopterygiformes was coined by Max Fürbringer
in 1888 to contain the single family Archaeopterygidae and genus Archaeopteryx. While neither the order has never been given a formal phylogenetic definition, a definition for Archaeopterygidae was given by Xu and colleagues in 2011: the clade
comprising all birds closer to Archaeopteryx than to the House Sparrow
or Dromaeosaurus
.
The family Dromaeosauridae
, traditionally considered to be non-avian dinosaur
s, have been included in this group by at least one author. Discoveries of a number of primitive forms have muddied the relationships of early birds, making it possible that Velociraptor
and similar dinosaurs could be considered birds. Palaeoartist Gregory S. Paul
placed dromaeosaurids in Archaeopterygiformes for these reasons, though the eventual cladistic definition of Archaeopterygidae explicitly excluded them.
As its name suggests, Protarchaeopteryx
was also originally referred to this group, but most paleontologists now consider it an oviraptorosaur. Other referred genera, like Jurapteryx, Wellnhoferia
, and Proornis
, are probably synonymous with Archaeopteryx (the former two) or do not belong into this group (the last). Jinfengopteryx
was originally described as an archaeopterygid, though it was later shown to be a troodontid. Some recent studies have recovered Anchiornis
, previously considered a troodontid, and Xiaotingia
, to also be members of the Archaeopterygidae.
Maniraptora
Maniraptora is a clade of coelurosaurian dinosaurs which includes the birds and the dinosaurs that were more closely related to them than to Ornithomimus velox. It contains the major subgroups Avialae, Deinonychosauria, Oviraptorosauria and Therizinosauria. Ornitholestes and the Alvarezsauroidea...
n dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
s that lived during the late Jurassic
Jurassic
The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...
and period.
Taxonomy
Max Fürbringer
Max Carl Anton Fürbringer was a German anatomist. He studied with Karl Gegenbaur and published his studies in comparative anatomy in Untersuchungen zur Morphologie und Systematik der Vögel, 1888.-Notes:...
in 1888 to contain the single family Archaeopterygidae and genus Archaeopteryx. While neither the order has never been given a formal phylogenetic definition, a definition for Archaeopterygidae was given by Xu and colleagues in 2011: the clade
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
comprising all birds closer to Archaeopteryx than to the House Sparrow
House Sparrow
The House Sparrow is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. One of about 25 species in the genus Passer, the House Sparrow occurs naturally in most of Europe, the Mediterranean region, and much of Asia...
or Dromaeosaurus
Dromaeosaurus
Dromaeosaurus was a genus of theropod dinosaur which lived during the Late Cretaceous period , sometime between 76.5 and 74.8 million years ago, in the western United States and Alberta, Canada. The name means 'running lizard'....
.
The family Dromaeosauridae
Dromaeosauridae
Dromaeosauridae is a family of bird-like theropod dinosaurs. They were small- to medium-sized feathered carnivores that flourished in the Cretaceous Period. The name Dromaeosauridae means 'running lizards', from Greek dromeus meaning 'runner' and sauros meaning 'lizard'...
, traditionally considered to be non-avian dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
s, have been included in this group by at least one author. Discoveries of a number of primitive forms have muddied the relationships of early birds, making it possible that Velociraptor
Velociraptor
Velociraptor is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur that existed approximately 75 to 71 million years ago during the later part of the Cretaceous Period. Two species are currently recognized, although others have been assigned in the past. The type species is V. mongoliensis; fossils...
and similar dinosaurs could be considered birds. Palaeoartist Gregory S. Paul
Gregory S. Paul
Gregory Scott Paul is a freelance researcher, author and illustrator who works in paleontology, and more recently has examined sociology and theology. He is best known for his work and research on theropod dinosaurs and his detailed illustrations, both live and skeletal...
placed dromaeosaurids in Archaeopterygiformes for these reasons, though the eventual cladistic definition of Archaeopterygidae explicitly excluded them.
As its name suggests, Protarchaeopteryx
Protarchaeopteryx
Protarchaeopteryx is a genus of turkey-sized feathered theropod dinosaur from China. Known from the Jianshangou bed of the Yixian Formation, it lived during the early Aptian age of the Early Cretaceous, approximately 124.6 million years ago...
was also originally referred to this group, but most paleontologists now consider it an oviraptorosaur. Other referred genera, like Jurapteryx, Wellnhoferia
Wellnhoferia
Wellnhoferia is a genus of early prehistoric bird closely related to Archaeopteryx. It lived in what is now Germany, during the Late Jurassic. While Wellnhoferia was similar to Archaeopteryx, it had a shorter tail and its fourth toe was shorter than in Archaeopteryx...
, and Proornis
Proornis
"Proornis" is an extinct genus of basal bird from the Early Cretaceous of northernmost North Korea. Since it was never formally described in a peer - reviewed journal, the genus is considered a nomen nudum and thus not italicized...
, are probably synonymous with Archaeopteryx (the former two) or do not belong into this group (the last). Jinfengopteryx
Jinfengopteryx
Jinfengopteryx is a genus of maniraptoran dinosaur. It was found in the Qiaotou member of the Huajiying Formation of Hebei Province, China, and is therefore of uncertain age...
was originally described as an archaeopterygid, though it was later shown to be a troodontid. Some recent studies have recovered Anchiornis
Anchiornis
Anchiornis is a genus of small, feathered, deinonychosaurian dinosaur. The genus Anchiornis contains the type species Anchiornis huxleyi, named in honor of Thomas Henry Huxley, an early proponent of biological evolution, and the first to propose a close evolutionary relationship between birds and...
, previously considered a troodontid, and Xiaotingia
Xiaotingia
Xiaotingia is a genus of bird-like theropod dinosaur from early Late Jurassic deposits of western Liaoning, China, containing a single species, Xiaotingia zhengi.-Discovery:...
, to also be members of the Archaeopterygidae.