Waterbirds are dinosaurs?

Archeopteryx, the ancestor of the water bird, has long been thought to be the earliest bird present on earth, probably not . birds.

According to the Guardian newspaper, a statement by Chinese scientists, if confirmed, will shake international research - people have seen bird evolution and flight by feathers through the prism of species. Archeopteryx 150 million years ago.

Archeopteryx was discovered in 1861, two years after Charles Darwin published the famous book On the Origin of Species. The fossil of an animal whose wings covered the feathers of a bird but the teeth and tail of a dinosaur caused a stir in England during Queen Victoria's time. Although controversial, Archeopteryx is still considered the ancestor of birds.

Archeopteryx model at Oxford University Museum

However, this view is being challenged by Chinese researchers who say that Archeopteryx may not be the most primitive bird but just another dinosaur. Xing Xu of Linyi University in Shandong Province said the chicken-sized fossil, called Xiaotingia zhengi, was found in Tiaojishan, eastern China, with many characteristics similar to Archeopteryx, including the front legs. Long and strong seems to help it fly.

When Xu and his colleagues re-established the genealogical tree to find a place for Xiaotingia zhengi, they found that the animal does not belong to any bird species but belongs to a group of dinosaurs called deinonychosaur, which is a two-legged species. Do not fly. Most importantly, Archeopteryx also seems to belong to this group.

Although this finding is not yet confirmed, it contributes to reinforcing the argument of those who doubt Archeopteryx's "status" following the discovery of dinosaur-like bird or dinosaur-like dinosaurs in 10 years. by.