Siwalik Giraffidae (Mammalia, Artiodactyla): A review
The article is based on the published literature regarding the family Giraffidae, particularly about the extinct Siwalik species. The provided information is collected from the previous published articles, aiming to produce the basic information of the Siwalik giraffids. The distribution of the Siwalik giraffid species is also briefly discussed.
Comparisons of Schansitherium tafeli with Samotherium boissieri (Giraffidae, Mammalia) from the Late Miocene of Gansu Province, China
We are describing and figuring for the first time skulls of Schansitherium tafeli, which are abundant in the Gansu area of China from the Late Miocene. They were animals about the size of Samotherium with shorter necks that had two pairs of ossicones that merge at the base, which is unlike Samotherium. The anterior ossicones […]
Old world ruminant morphophysiology, life history, and fossil record: exploring key innovations of a diversification sequence
The omasum of pecoran ruminants (which is absent in tragulids) and shorter gestation periods in non-giraffid crown pecorans (as opposed to giraffids) could represent cases of key innovations that caused disparity in species diversity in extant ruminants. Literature suggests that the different ruminant groups inhabited similar niche spectra at different times, supporting the ‘increased fitness’ […]
The systematic position of Hoplitomerycidae (Ruminantia) revisited
Hoplitomeryx Leinders was originally described only on cranial characters. The type specimens were found during the 1970’s in karstic fissure fillings, most likely of Messinian age, in Gargano (Apulia, southeastern Italy), between Poggio Imperiale (418490300 N, 158210580 E) and Apricena (418470060 N, 158260410 E). During the 1990’s, Hoplitomeryx remains were also discovered in the lower […]
Giraffokeryx (Artiodactyla: Mammalia) Remains From the Lower Siwaliks of Pakistan
Giraffokeryx is represented in the middle Miocene vertebrate assemblage from the Chinji Formation by 13 remains. The material comprises predominantly isolated teeth, and a few fragments of maxilla and mandible. The well preserved upper and lower dentition allows recognizing the presence of Giraffokeryx cf. punjabiensis in the Chinji Formation of the Lower Siwaliks. A detailed […]