Archaeopteryx dromaeosaurids and troodontids: jaws with sharp teeth, three fingers with claws, a long bony tail, hyperextensible second toes ("killing claw"), feathers (which also suggest warm-bloodedness), and various features of the skeleton. These features make "Archaeopteryx" a clear candidate for a transitional fossil between non-avian dinosaurs and birds. Thus, "Archaeopteryx" plays an important role, not only in the study of the origin of birds, but in the study of dinosaurs. It was named from a single feather in 1861. That same year, the first complete specimen of "Archaeopteryx" was announced. Over the years, ten more fossils of "Archaeopteryx" have surfaced. Despite
Specimens of Archaeopteryx Pohl, who was able to find an anonymous donor willing to offer up the funds. After an initial period of display and scientific study in Germany, the specimen would then be given to the WDC on a long-term loan. After a period of research (Mayr et al. 2005, 2007), the fossil was transferred to the Wyoming Dinosaur Center of Thermopolis, Wyoming, where it has remained since June 2007. The export out of Germany of this specimen—widely considered to be one of the best "Archaeopteryx" fossils known—has caused some concern among German paleontologists and the public. Though no formal legality was