Question Details

One of these is not a plant fossil

Options

A

Rhynia

B

Lepidocarpon

C

Archaeopteryx

D

Lepidodendron

Correct Answer :

Archaeopteryx

Solution :

The correct option is Archaeopteryx.

To understand why this is the correct answer, let's look at each of the choices provided and determine whether they are plant fossils or not:
1. Rhynia: This is a genus of early Devonian vascular plants. Fossilized specimens of Rhynia gwynne-vaughanii represent a classic example of an early land plant, making it a well-known plant fossil.
2. Lepidocarpon: This is a genus of fossilized lycopsid seed-like megasporangia (reproductive structures) from the Carboniferous period, which belong to the plant kingdom.
3. Lepidodendron: Also known as the "scale tree," this is an extinct genus of primitive, vascular, arborescent (tree-like) plants related to lycopods, prominent during the Carboniferous period.
4. Archaeopteryx: Unlike the others, Archaeopteryx is a genus of avian dinosaurs. It is a famous transitional fossil representing the evolutionary link between non-avian theropod dinosaurs and modern birds. Therefore, it is an animal fossil, not a plant fossil.

Consequently, Archaeopteryx is the only organism listed that is not a plant fossil.

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