Abstract
THE upper Jurassic fossils Archaeopteryx lithographica and A. siemensii Dames offer the only direct evidence of the morphological transition between reptiles and birds. There is therefore a large literature about these fossils, which deBeer1 has summarized. Much attention has centred on the structure of the skull and its similarities and differences with those of reptiles and birds1–5. Unfortunately, the structure of the lower jaw has been entirely neglected, or casually dismissed, as reptilian rather than avian, principally because of the presence of thecodont teeth3. I have been able to study the morphological distinctions between the lower jaws of reptiles and birds, and the results have a direct bearing on the level of organization (morphological grade) of Archaeopteryx.
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References
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CRACRAFT, J. Mandible of Archaeopteryx provides an Example of Mosaic Evolution. Nature 226, 1268 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1038/2261268a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2261268a0
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