
140-170 million years old
| TRAIT \ TYPE | REPTILE | ARCHAEOPTERYX | BIRD |
| Feathers | no | yes | yes |
| Hind limb claws adapted for perching i.e., opposable hallux | no | yes | yes |
| Furcula from fused clavicle | some theropods have unfused clavicles | yes | yes |
| Pubis elongate and directed backward | some theropods | yes | yes |
| beak | no | no | yes |
| Vertebra in trunk region fused | no | no | yes |
| Hollow (pneumatic) bones | some | yes | yes |
| Elongate cerebral hemispheres Cerebellum behind mid-brain |
yes | yes | no |
| Concave articular facets on cervical vertebrae | yes | yes | no |
| tail composed of free vertebrae | yes | yes (with feathers) | no, short and fused to form pygostyle |
| teeth | yes | yes | no |
| Ribs with uncinate processes articulated with sternum | no | no | yes |
| keel sternum | no | no | yes |
| Sacrum occupies 6 vetebra | yes | yes | no, 11-23 vertebra |
| Archosaurian pelvic femur joint | yes | yes | no |
| Free metacarpals | yes | yes | no |
| Free metatarsals | yes | yes | no |
| Nasal opening forward (preorbital fenestra) | yes | yes | no |
| Deltiod ridge of humerus and radial and ulnar condyles face forward | yes | yes | no |
| Claws on unfused digits of forelimbs | yes | yes | some embryonic, 3 as juvenile |
| Developed fibula | yes | yes | no, greately reduced |
| Gastralia (dermal bone in wall of abdomen) | yes | yes | no |
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