The interrelationships of higher ruminant families with special emphasis on the members of the cervoidea
We analyze the interrelationships of the higher (Pecoran) ruminants, and suggest possible relationships between these families and the various genera of the polyphyletic assemblage “Gelocidae.” We also review the developmental processes of the cranial appendages of the living homed ruminant families, and conclude that giraffid ossicones, bovid horns, and cervid antlers cannot be considered to […]
The two types of cranial appendages in Giraffa camelopardalis (Mammalia, Artiodactyla)
The current consensus is that only one type of horn, the ossicone, exists in the giraffe and that the central or median horn is both structurally and developmentally similar to the paired parietal horns. We have shown that the paired ossicones are composites of three structures: an innermost large frontoparietal boss base, the ossicone, and […]
Key innovations in ruminant evolution: A paleontological perspective
Key innovations are newly acquired structures that permit the performance of a new function and open new adaptive zones, and are, therefore, of paramount significance for understanding the history of the Ruminantia, particularly its diversification through the Miocene. Here we review and discuss what is known about these evolutionary novelties, with special emphasis on the […]