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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).
Giraffoidea is a superfamily that includes the families Climacoceratidae, Prolibytheriidae, and Giraffidae. The only extant members in the superfamily are the giraffes and okapi. The Climacoceratidae are also placed in the superfamily, but were originally placed within the family Palaeomerycidae.
Giraffomorpha is a clade of pecoran ruminants containing the superfamilies Palaeomerycoidea (Palaeomerycidae) and Giraffoidea (Giraffidae, Prolibytheriidae and Climacoceratidae), of which the giraffe and okapi of the Giraffidae are the only extant members of the once-diverse clade as a result of a decline in diversity after the Miocene as a result of declines in temperatures.
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.
Vishnutherium (Vishnu's beast) is an extinct genus of the Giraffidae. It was first named by Lydekker in 1876. It was first named by Lydekker in 1876. Its fossils have been found in India .
Modern, giraffe-like restoration in the MEPAN Outdated moose-like restoration Museum reconstruction. Sivatherium resembled the modern okapi, but was far larger, and more heavily built, being about 2.2 m (7.2 ft) tall at the shoulder, 3 m (9.8 ft) in total height with a weight up to 400–500 kg (880–1,100 lb). [5]
The family Giraffidae was once much more extensive, with over 10 fossil genera described. [6] The elongation of the neck appears to have started early in the giraffe lineage. Comparisons between giraffes and their ancient relatives suggest vertebrae close to the skull lengthened earlier, followed by lengthening of vertebrae further down. [8]
The current IUCN taxonomic scheme lists one species of giraffe with the name G. camelopardalis and nine subspecies. [1] [7] A 2021 whole genome sequencing study suggests the northern giraffe as a separate species, and postulates the existence of three distinct subspecies, [8] and more recently, one extinct subspecies.