Specimens of Archaeopteryx original classification of a new taxon, "Archaeopteryx bavarica". The hind limbs, while showing no morphological differences from previously known specimens, were perhaps the best preserved yet and showed some unprecedented details. For example, the right foot was preserved so tightly flexed that the claws of the first and fourth toes are overlapping, indicating that a grasping or perching function was present in "Archaeopteryx", possibly as sophisticated as that of modern birds. Only the imprints of wing and tail feathers are present, and all sign of feathers comes from the counterslab. No body feathers are evident. The right wing displays a
Specimens of Archaeopteryx the feather. "Archaeopteryx lithographica" was initially named for this original feather, rather than the full skeleton that was found around the same time, and the feather was originally the formal type specimen and holotype for the species. There are obvious problems with this idea, such as the fact that the feather may have come from a juvenile, or possibly another species altogether. The distal obtuse angle at the tip is not a feature found on the feathers of any other "Archaeopteryx" skeleton with integument imprints. It is possible, however, that the strange angle of the tip is an artifact caused