始祖鸟与鸟类起源

Archaeopteryx and the Origin of Birds

自19世纪60年代年发现了首件始祖鸟化石标本后,有关鸟类的起源的研究已经历时150多年了。在过去的100多年中这个问题一直是生物学研究领域的一个热点、难点。自从鸟类和兽脚类恐龙之间存在相似之处在1868年得到赫胥黎和其他的古生物学家的首次公认以来,鸟类的恐龙起源便获得了广泛的支持。特别是近年来在中国带羽毛恐龙的发现,对鸟类的恐龙起源假说提供了很多有意义的证据。这里叙述了始祖鸟发现的历史,同时根据这一领域研究取得的进展以及存在的争议,讨论了始祖鸟的归属问题,并且分析了始祖鸟的行为功能。最后,就鸟类的起源从研究的方法论角度作了简单的分析。

Since the late 1860s,the first Archaeopteryx were found,the study of bird origin is over 150 years old.It is a point and disputed issues in the field of evolutionary biology in the past 100 years.The dinosaurian origin of birds had gained broad support since the resemblance between birds and theropods was first recognized by Huxley（1868） and other paleontologists.The discoveries of feathered dinosaurs have provided some of the most significant evidence supporting the dinosaurian origin of birds from China.Here described the history of the discovery of Archaeopteryx,also according to this area in the recent progress and existing debate,discussed the issue of Archaeopteryx classified,and the functions of Archaeopteryx.Finally,a simple analysis was made on the origin of birds from a methodological point.