Archaeopteryx

- Pronunciation: ar-kee-OP-ter-ix
- Translation: Ancient Wing
- Order: Saurischia
- Suborder: Theropoda
- Infraorder: Tetanurae
- Micro-order: Maniraptora
- Family: Aves
- Height: 1 foot (0.3 meters)
- Weight: 2 lbs (0.9 kg)
- Length: 3 feet (0.9 meters)
- Period: Late Jurassic
- Description: Carnivore, Bipedal
- Notes: Identified by many as the first bird, Archaeopteryx resembles acoelurosaur but was covered in feathers. (Its remains were found in finegrained stone which still bore the clear impression of its feathers.) Archaeopteryxwas 3 feet (0.9 meters) long with sharp teeth, a long bony tail, and clawfingers on its wings. The only known member of this family was discoveredin Bavaria, Germany. There is considerable debate whether Archaeopteryxand Mononychus should be classified as dinosaurs.