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Illustration of extinct Shansitherium species and Palaeotragus microdon (Giraffidae), showing a diversity of ossicone shapes and sizes no longer seen in extant animals Ossicones are only found in some members of the superfamily Giraffoidea , which includes the family Giraffidae (to which giraffes, okapi, and extinct relatives belong) and the ...
The Giraffidae are a family of ruminant artiodactyl mammals that share a recent common ancestor with deer and bovids.This family, once a diverse group spread throughout Eurasia and Africa, presently comprises only two extant genera, the giraffe (between one and eight, usually four, species of Giraffa, depending on taxonomic interpretation) and the okapi (the only known species of Okapia).
Sivatheriinae is an extinct subfamily of giraffids characterized by their robust size, short limbs, and the presence of large complicated ossicones in males. [2] These animals lived in Asia, Africa, and parts of Europe from the late Miocene and early Pleistocene.
Artiodactyls live on every major landmass and throughout the oceans and in a variety of habitats, including forests, grasslands, and deserts. They come in a wide array of body plans in contrasting shapes and sizes, ranging from the 38 cm (15 in) long and 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) royal antelope to the 27 m (89 ft) long and 120 ton blue whale.
Size varies considerably; the smallest member, the mouse deer, often reaches a body length of only 45 centimeters (18 in) and a weight of 1.5 kilograms (3.3 lb). The largest member, the hippopotamus, can grow up to 5 meters (16 ft) in length and weigh 4.5 metric tons (5 short tons), and the giraffe can grow to be 5.5 meters (18 ft) tall and 4.7 ...
The specific name, micros, is taken from the Ancient Greek μικρός (mikrós), meaning "small", in reference to the smaller size of Bramiscus compared to similar taxa. [ 1 ] Classification
Smaller particle size allows for increased nutrient absorption. Fiber, especially cellulose and hemicellulose , is primarily broken down in these chambers by microbes (mostly bacteria , as well as some protozoa , fungi , and yeast ) into the three volatile fatty acids (VFAs): acetic acid , propionic acid , and butyric acid .
Often mistaken with the southern giraffe, the northern giraffe differs by the shape and size of the two distinctive horn-like protuberances known as ossicones on its forehead; they are longer and larger than those of southern giraffe. Male northern giraffes have a third cylindrical ossicone in the center of the head just above the eyes, ranging ...