A new genus and species for the largest specimen of Archaeopteryx

The Solnhofen (Sixth) specimen of Archaeopteryx is assigned to Wellnhoferia grandis gen. et sp. n. on the basis of qualitative, size-independent autap omorphies. Wellnhoferia differs from Archaeopteryx in a short tail with the estimated number of 16-17 caudals; a nearly symmetric pattern of pedal ray s II-IV with metatarsals II and IV of equal length and digit IV substantial ly shorter than in Archaeopteryx; and the number of four (instead of five) phalanges of pedal digit IV, which most probably results from a phylogeneti c reduction rather than individual variation. A combination of large size a nd details of the pelvic limb suggests a locomotor specialization different from that of Archaeopteryx.