A new genus and species for the largest specimen of Archaeopteryx
Andrzej Elżanowski
The Solnhofen (Sixth) specimen of Archaeopteryx is assigned to Wellnhoferia grandis gen. et sp. n. on the basis of qualitative, size-independent autapomorphies. Wellnhoferia differs from Archaeopteryx in a short tail with the estimated number of 16-17 caudals; a nearly symmetric pattern of pedal rays II-IV with metatarsals II and IV of equal length and digit IV substantially shorter than in Archaeopteryx; and the number of four (instead of five) phalanges of pedal digit IV, which most probably results from a phylogenetic reduction rather than individual variation. A combination of large size and details of the pelvic limb suggests a locomotor specialization different from that of Archaeopteryx.
Key words: Archaeopteryx, Wellnhoferia, birds, Aves, Jurassic, Solnhofen.
Andrzej Elżanowski [elzanowski@biol.uni.wroc.pl], Institute of Zoology, University of Wrocław, ul. Sienkiewicza 21, PL-50-335 Wrocław, Poland.
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