Researchers have stumbled upon some fascinating new features in the skull of Archaeopteryx, a crucial link in the evolution from dinosaurs to birds. A study published on February 2 in the journal The Innovation reveals these traits may have improved how Archaeopteryx handled and processed food.
Among the discoveries is a tiny bone that points to a highly flexible tongue, suggesting it could effectively grasp and manage its meals. The researchers also found soft tissue traces that resemble oral papillae—small, tooth-like structures on the mouth’s roof. These features are not seen in non-flying dinosaurs but are common in modern birds. Jingmai O’Connor, a paleontologist from the Field Museum in Chicago, emphasized that these structures are crucial for feeding.
This finding indicates that these characteristics first appeared during or just before the rise of birds in the Late Jurassic period, around 161.5 to 143 million years ago. It highlights a significant evolutionary moment when dinosaurs adapted to new ways of eating as they transitioned into what we know as birds.
Modern birds are the only surviving lineage from the mass extinction event 66 million years ago. Archaeopteryx, which lived about 150 million years ago in what is now Germany, is considered one of the earliest birds—though not necessarily the first. O’Connor mentions that this species likely showcased feather-driven flight, albeit sporadic and not sustained.
The recent discoveries emerged while researchers prepared and examined an Archaeopteryx specimen housed at the Field Museum. It was previously studied and described scientifically in 2025. The oral papillae serve a pivotal role by helping birds grip their prey and direct food down their throats. O’Connor added that the flexible tongue could aid in reaching for and manipulating food. In modern birds, structures akin to bill-tip organs provide enhanced sensory feedback, making food retrieval more effective.
These findings propose an intriguing idea: the evolution of such features might coincide with the heightened energy demands of powered flight.
Christian Foth, a paleontologist at the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin, remarked that while the study’s findings are compelling, they warrant further exploration. He expressed skepticism about the proposal for a new analogue to the bill-tip organ and cautioned against linking these features directly to flying behavior. He noted that the energy required for active flight depends more on dietary sources and digestive capabilities, which the current study did not fully explore. As he put it, adaptations may help ensure that a caught dragonfly stays in the mouth, but they don’t necessarily indicate how well the diet is processed.
In summary, the new insights into Archaeopteryx shed light on the evolutionary shift in feeding strategies as birds began to emerge from their dinosaur ancestors. O’Connor and her team’s work opens doors for further research into how dietary and anatomical adaptations influenced the journey from dinosaurs to the diverse birds we see today.
