The Archaeopteryx

The History and Mystery Surrounding the Flying Dinosaur Genus

By: Charles River Editors

Narrated by: Jim D. Johnston

The Mesozoic Era, which lasted from about 252 to 66 million years ago, is divided into three periods, the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous. During this era, one type of life came to dominate the planet more completely and for a longer period than had been seen before or since; this was the Age of Reptiles.

Beginning in the Triassic but especially in the Jurassic period, reptiles came to dominate the oceans, the land and even the skies. There has never been anything else quite like this period in terms of the success of a particular type of creature. For almost 200 million years, reptiles were the only significant creatures on Earth. They were so successful and so diverse that they evolved to take advantage of every available habitat, and no other type of large creature had a chance to develop.

The massively popular 1990 novel, Jurassic Park, by Michael Crichton and its subsequent movie adaptations, led to a huge resurgence in interest in dinosaurs and the prehistoric world. That interest continues to the present day, even though most of the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park weren’t actually from the Jurassic period. Triceratops, Velociraptor, Tyrannosaurus Rex, and the huge sauropods such as Brachiosaurus that feature in the book and movies all actually belong to the Late Cretaceous period, more than 40 million years after the end of the Jurassic. Regardless, certain kinds of dinosaurs remain instantly recognizable.

The movie also popularized pterodactyls, and the concept of flying dinosaurs fascinates people. There is no doubt that Archaeopteryx, which lived over 150 million years ago, was one of the earliest birds or avialans (bird-like creatures), and when the first fossil of it was discovered, it was hailed as a potential missing link between dinosaurs and birds. The name Archaeopteryx comes from Greek, the word for “ancient” and the term for “wing” or “feather.” The creature is occasionally referenced by the German, “Urvogel,” which literally means “primeval bird.” From the known species of Archaeopteryx, the creature grew no longer than half a meter (20 inches), including its long, bony tail. Despite its bird-like appearance, scientists point out that the genus has far more in common with the dinosaurs of its day than with the thousands of bird species of our modern age.

Over time, however, others would argue it was actually the missing link between birds and other reptiles. Meanwhile, the debate over whether it was the first avialan came and went, as it was discovered to not be the first. But even while paleontologists continue to debate the genus’ place in the world and its connections to contemporaries, it continues to generate interest both commercially and academically.

©2023 Charles River Editors (P)2023 Charles River Editors