| Archaeopterygidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Berlin specimen ofArchaeopteryx lithographica | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | Theropoda |
| Clade: | Paraves |
| Family: | †Archaeopterygidae Huxley, 1871 (conserved name) |
| Type species | |
| †Archaeopteryx lithographica von Meyer, 1861 (conserved name) | |
| Genera and possible subfamily[1] | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Archaeopterygidae is a group ofparaviandinosaurs, known from the latestJurassic and earliestCretaceous of Europe. In most current classifications, it contains only the generaArchaeopteryx andWellnhoferia. As its name suggests,Protarchaeopteryx was also once referred to this group, but most paleontologists now consider it anoviraptorosaur. Other referred genera, likeJurapteryx,Wellnhoferia, and "Proornis", are probably synonymous withArchaeopteryx (the former two) or do not belong into this group (the last).Jinfengopteryx was originally described as an archaeopterygid, though it was later shown to be atroodontid.[3][4][5] A few studies have recoveredAnchiornis andXiaotingia (usually considered part of a distinct clade,Anchiornithidae) to also be members of the Archaeopterygidae,[6] though most subsequent analyses have failed to arrive at the same result. Uncertainties still exist, however, and it may not be possible to confidently state whether archaeopterygids are more closely related to modern birds or to deinonychosaurs barring new and better specimens of relevant species.[7] Teeth attributable to archaeopterygids are known from the earliest Cretaceous (Berriasian) Cherves-de-Cognac locality and theAngeac-Charente bonebed of France.[8][9]
Thefamily Archaeopterygidae is the only family in theorder Archaeopterygiformes, which was coined byMax Fürbringer in 1888 to contain Archaeopterygidae and genusArchaeopteryx.[10] A formalphylogenetic definition for Archaeopterygidae was given by Xu and colleagues in 2011: theclade comprising all animals closer toArchaeopteryx than to thehouse sparrow orDromaeosaurus.[6]
The familyDromaeosauridae, traditionally considered to be non-aviandinosaurs, have been included in this group by at least one author, although the group was paraphyletic in that classification, withDromaeosaurus andVelociraptor (includingDeinonychus andSaurornitholestes) being more closely related to modern birds thanArchaeopteryx was.[11] Discoveries of a number of primitive forms have muddied the relationships of early birds, making it possible thatVelociraptor andDeinonychus could be considered birds as they might have evolved from flying ancestors. PalaeoartistGregory S. Paul placed dromaeosaurids in Archaeopterygidae for these reasons, though the eventualcladistic definition of Archaeopterygidae explicitly excluded them.[11]
The familyAnchiornithidae has had some of the members or the entirety of the group placed as archaeopterygids in various systematic studies.[6][12][1] The cladogram below shows the results of the phylogenetic analysis by Cau (2020).[1]
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Catalogue of fossil birds
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