Climacoceratidae

family of mammals

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.

Climacoceratidae
Temporal range: Miocene
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain:Eukaryota
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:Artiodactyla
Superfamily:Giraffoidea
Family:Climacoceratidae
Hamilton,1978
Genera
  • Climacoceras MacInnes, 1936
  • Orangemeryx
  • Prolibytherium
  • Propalaeoryx
  • Nyanzameryx
  • Sperrgebietomeryx
  • ?Canthumeryx

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.