where they have been discovered in Triassic deposits

hunting alone and not having many natural predators

Despite its length

which allowed them to grasp and tear branches and leaves from trees

Archaeopteryx lithographica Scale:1:4 where they have been discoveredArcheopteryx (A. lithographica 'Ancient wing') is an extinct species of primitive bird that lived during the Kimmeridgian period of the Late Jurassic, approximately 150 million years ago, in what is now Germany. It is considered a transitional fossil between dinosaurs and modern birds, and is known for both its reptilian and avian characteristics. Archeopteryx had feathers and wings, but also had reptilian features such as teeth, claws on its wings,