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Climacoceratidae facts for kids

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Climacoceratidae
Temporal range: Miocene
Climacoceras gentryi e.jpg
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Superfamily: Giraffoidea
Family: †Climacoceratidae
Hamilton,1978
Genera
  • Climacoceras MacInnes, 1936
  • Orangemeryx
  • Prolibytherium
  • Propalaeoryx
  • Nyanzameryx
  • Sperrgebietomeryx
  • ?Canthumeryx

Climacoceratide is a family of artiodactyls which lived in Miocene in Africa. They're closely related to giraffes, with some genera, like Prolibytherium previously classified as giraffes.

The climacoceratids, named after one of their members, Climacoceras, were previously placed in the family Palaeomerycidae, then in Giraffidae. In 1978, W.D. Hamilton made a new family, placing it near Giraffidae in the superfamily Giraffoidea.

They differ from giraffes as their ossicones are from different bones.

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