Newly described giraffid species may help trace evolution of giraffe ancestors
November 1, 2017
A new giraffid species from Spain may extend the range and timespan of the ancestors of giraffes, according to a study published November 1, 2017 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by María Ríos from the National Museum of Natural History, Spain, and colleagues.
The giraffids, a family of ruminants that includes modern day giraffes and okapis, are thought to have existed as far back as the early Miocene epoch. While fossils from over 30 extinct species have been described, the lack of fossilised skulls has been a barrier to determining evolutionary relationships.
Read more at:
https://phys.org/news/2017-11-newly-giraffid-species-evolution-giraffe.html#jCp
