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

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.