Question

List two characteristics that Archaeopteryx shares with extant birds:

a) Feathered wings and a beak
b) Teeth and a long tail
c) Scales and claws
d) Gills and fins

Answer 1

Two characteristics Archaeopteryx shares with modern birds are feathered wings and a bony tail with flight feathers.

Step-by-step explanation:

Two characteristics that Archaeopteryx shares with extant birds are its feathered wings and a bony tail with feathers modified for flight. While Archaeopteryx had reptilian features such as a jaw with teeth, its resemblance to birds is particularly noted in the flight feathers on its forelimbs, a trait unique among modern animals to birds, and thus indicating its status as a transitional species. Moreover, the claws on Archaeopteryx's wings resemble those found in some extant birds, like the hoatzin's newly hatched chicks.