Biologists often labeled Archaeopteryx fossil as the oldest bird in the world. However, in a recent report, researchers from China called the dinosaur fossils are just ordinary.
Researchers from the Linyi University, Xing Xu, and colleagues analyzed a similar fossil Archaeopteryx borrowed from the world's largest dinosaur museum, Shandong Tianyu. Fossil-sized chicken named Xiaotingia zhengi was raised from 155 million year old layers of Tiaojishan Formation in eastern China. These fossils have the same body structure as Archaeopteryx, including long sleeves that can be used to fly.
When reconstructing the genealogy of this fossil, Xu did not find any consanguinity between Xiaotingia and birds. It is precisely these animals closely related to the group deinonychosaurus. Even more surprising, coming from a group archaeopteryxjuga deinonychosaurus like velociraptor, with the characteristics of bipedal, meat-eating, and has a nail that can be drawn.
From Ohio University paleontologist Lawrence Witmer, not surprised at this discovery. "The more doubt the status of Archaeopteryx as a bird. Maybe this animal is only a small feathered dinosaur that lived in the Jurassic Period," said Witmer.
If Archaeopteryx is a usual dinosaur, meaning there are four types of vertebrates that can fly, that is, reptiles, birds, bats, and dinosaurs. While the position as the oldest ancestor of birds contested by
- Epidexipteryx.
- Jeholornis.
- Sapeornis.
The loss of the status of Archaeopteryx the ancestor of birds does not mean shake up the theory of bird evolution. Experts still agree that birds evolved from meat-eating dinosaurs. However, Archaeopteryx still be regarded as an evolutionary attempt to create an animal with a body like a bird. *** [GUARDIAN | ANTON WILLIAM | KORAN TEMPO 3609]
