Archaeopteryx, Thermopolis Specimen

Saw the exhibit "Archaeopteryx! Icon of Evolution" this morning at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Lots of detailed fossils on slabs and plates of limestone (lithograph), including fish, lizards, insects, turtles and pterodactyls. Archaeopteryx is the earliest bird fossil ever found, dating back to the late Jurrasic period, about 150 million years ago. All specimens have been found in the world famous stone quarries of Solnhofen in southern Germany, with the earliest found in 1861. (From HMNS News) From wikipedia: "Long in a private collection, the Thermopolis Specimen (WDC CSG 100) was discovered in Germany and described in 2005 by Mayr, Pohl, and Peters. Donated to the Wyoming Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis, Wyoming, it has the best-preserved head and feet; most of the neck and the lower jaw have not been preserved. The "Thermopolis" specimen was described in the December 2, 2005 Science journal article as "A well-preserved Archaeopteryx specimen with theropod features"; it shows that the Archaeopteryx lacked a reversed toe—a universal feature of birds—limiting its ability to perch on branches and implying a terrestrial or trunk-climbing lifestyle" The bird-like characteristics of Archaeopteryx include: 1. Feathers and wings. These made visible impressions in the limestone. Using high energy x-rays, the fossil revealed traces of elements (eg phosphorus) found in feathers of modern birds. 2. Three toes on each hind feet that face forward, with an inner toe (how ...