Archaeopteryx Replica

_{(please click image for full view)}

Title: Archaeopteryx Replica
Medium: Digital Photography
Photographer: Aaron J. Greenblatt
Camera Type: Panasonic DMC-LZ7 Lumix 7.2 MP
Editing: Edited in PhotoShop 7.0 for color accuracy, size, and to apply copyright and border.

Location: Photograph taken at the 2008 Southeastern Michigan Gem and Mineral Show at the Southgate Civic Center in Southgate, Michigan. Show hosted by the Midwest Mineralogical & Lapidary Society.

Description: This is a photograph of part of a display at the show. Amongst the dealers selling their wares, and privately owned mineral/fossil display cases, there are usually larger publicly-owned displays on exhibit. These displays, typically erected by museums, almost always feature replicas of interesting fossils. This is one such replica. The white spots are light reflections off of the display glass protecting this fossil.

About This Particular Fossil: The Berlin Specimen (HMN 1880) was discovered in 1876* or 1877* on the Blumenberg near Eichstätt, Germany, by Jakob Niemeyer. He exchanged this precious fossil for a cow, with Johann Dörr. Placed on sale in 1881, with potential buyers including O.C. Marsh of Yale University's Peabody Museum, it was bought by the Humboldt Museum für Naturkunde, where it is now displayed.

Information From The Display: Archaeopteryx lived 150 million years ago. Specimens of it, all found in Germany, are generally regarded as the most precious fossils in the world. Only eleven more have been discovered since this first one - which was found in 1861* and which now resides in the Museum of Natural History in East Berlin. Archaeopteryx was intermediate between reptiles and birds. Some specimens show clear feather impressions.

Take A Closer Look: Looking closely at the full view of this fossil replica, one can see numerous interesting anatomical features. These include a jaw with sharp teeth, three fingers with claws, a long bony tail, and hyperextensible second toes ("killing claws") - all of which resemble those found on reptiles. Even more interesting are the very faint wing impressions that can be seen branching out from both the upper appendages and the tail. By looking closely, it's quite evident that this creature has the characteristics of both a reptile and a bird. Hence why this skeleton is referred to as an intermediate or transitional fossil.

More About Archaeopteryx: Archaeopteryx, sometimes referred to by its German name Urvogel ("original bird" or "first bird"), is the earliest and most primitive bird known. The name is from the Ancient Greek archaios meaning 'ancient' and pteryx meaning 'feather' or 'wing'. It's pronounced AR-kee-OP-ter-iks. Archaeopteryx lived 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.

Archaeopteryx plays an important role not only in the study of the origin of birds but in the study of dinosaurs.

Information Source: [link] (wiki)

_{*I am not sure as to why there is a discrepancy in the dates (1861 or 1876-77) that this fossil was found.}

Legal: Copyright © Aaron J. Greenblatt. All rights reserved. Commercial use prohibited. This image and commentary may not be used for any reason without expressed written consent.


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