How do fossils of the animal Archaeopteryx provide evidence that birds evolved from one group of dinosaurs?
A.) Fossils of Archaeopteryx are older than fossils of birds but younger than fossils of dinosaurs.
B.) Fossils of Archeopteryx have traits that show they were better able to survive than dinosaurs but less able to survive than birds.
C.) Fossils of Archeopteryx were discovered near fossils of both dinosaurs and birds.
D.) Fossils of Archaeopteryx have traits of both dinosaurs and birds.
D.) Fossils of Archaeopteryx have traits of both dinosaurs and birds.
Fossils of Archaeopteryx have characteristics of both dinosaurs and birds, including teeth, claws, and feathers. This suggests that birds evolved from a group of dinosaurs that also had these characteristics, such as the theropod dinosaurs. The presence of these intermediate features provides a strong piece of evidence for the evolutionary link between dinosaurs and birds.
D.) Fossils of Archaeopteryx have traits of both dinosaurs and birds.
The fossils of Archaeopteryx provide evidence that birds evolved from one group of dinosaurs because these fossils possess characteristics of both dinosaurs and birds. Archaeopteryx had features such as teeth, a long tail, and clawed fingers, which are typical of dinosaurs. At the same time, it had wings with feathers, which are characteristics of birds. This combination of features suggests a transitional form between dinosaurs and birds, supporting the idea of an evolutionary link between the two groups.