Re: 11th specimen of Archaeopteryx

[Jason Brougham <jaseb@amnh.org>]

Another difference between Archaeopteryx (and Microraptor) and all modern 
birds, one which makes their pedal morphology hard to compare directly,  is 
that the former had that sickle claw on the specialized second toe.

I know that a few authors have suggested that the claw could have functioned in 
climbing.

What do people think about the possibility that this could grasp branches, 
perhaps serving as a sort of analog of a hallux?