Page 180 - The Origin of Birds and Flight

178 The Origin of Birds and Flight

Archaeopteryx was not the only fossil bird to have had grasping teeth.
Some fossil birds had teeth, some didn’t. But how can teeth prove a
relationship to reptiles, when many reptiles don’t have teeth?
Crocodiles are really the only group of reptiles that consistently have
very well-developed teeth. And of course, even some mammals have
teeth and some don’t. 133
One very important fact, often ignored, is that the dental structure
of Archaeopteryx and other toothed birds is very different from that of
dinosaurs. According to measurements carried by such well-known
ornithologists as L. D. Martin, J. D. Stewart and K. N. Whetstone, the
teeth in Archaeopteryx and other toothed birds have flat surfaces and
have broad roots. Yet the tooth surfaces of theropod dinosaurs, alleged to
be the ancestors of these birds, are serrated like saws, and their roots are
narrow. 134 Studies by such anatomists as S. Tarsitano, M. K. Hecht and A.
D. Walker have revealed that some of the similarities suggested between
Archaeopteryx and dinosaurs are entirely due to misinterpretation. 135
All this goes to show that Archaeopteryx was not an intermediate
form, but merely belongs to a separate classification of toothed birds.
Seeking to establish a relationship between this creature and theropod
dinosaurs is highly unscientific.

Archaeopteryx’s jawbone
It has been claimed that Archaeopteryx’s jawbone resembles that of
dinosaurs, but during examinations by Haubitz and his team, using
computer tomography, revealed that its jawbone is in fact identical to
those of modern birds. 136 The movement of the jaw is another important
piece of evidence that undermines evolutionist claims. In most verte-
brates, including reptiles, only the lower jaw is mobile, while in birds,
including Archaeopteryx, the upper jaw also moves.

Archaeopteryx’s finger structure and wings
Another blow to the evolutionist thesis comes from Archaeopteryx’s
finger structure. Development of the forearm bones during the embry-