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The Evolutionary History of the GiraffeBrought to you by:Jaclyn Setina, Melissa Rivera, Caroline DeBrota, Ariel Bohner
BIO 130-6th HourMarch 10, 2016
http://www.amusingtime.com/funny/funny-giraffe/page/11/
http://www.giraffeworlds.com/giraffe-anatomy/
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Basic taxonomyDomain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Artiodactyla
Family Giraffidae
Genus Giraffa
Species G. camelopardalis
http://naturalhorseworld.com/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/RosGiraffe.jpg
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The giraffe’s neck evolution over time has not been constant, but its adaptations have been advantageous.
http://tallgiraffes.weebly.com/all-about-giraffes.html https://www.pinterest.com/candyrags2/giraffes-walking-tall-with-grace/
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The giraffe’s closest living relative, the okapi, does not display the same evolutionary adaptations.
http://www.strangeanimals.info/2010/10/okapi.html https://www.pinterest.com/tracybrend/okapi/
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Lamarck’s theory on the evolution of the giraffe’s neck involved the giraffe reaching for the leaves and then passing on its long neck to its offspring.
https://psychneuro.wordpress.com/2016/02/17/lamarckian-evolution-the-laughing-stocks-last-laugh/
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Darwin believed the giraffe’s long neck was a product of natural selection.
http://www.slideshare.net/MoisesOrtaAngs/evolution-41617654
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The evolution of the giraffe can be observed from the fossils of their ancestors.
http://img01.deviantart.net/20ea/i/2015/023/2/4/giraffids_by_tfprime1114-d8f4i5k.png
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Descent with modification can be seen in the gradual changes in body shapes of the giraffe’s prehistoric ancestors.
http://cdn4.sci-news.com/images/enlarge2/image_3321_2e-Giraffe-Neck.jpg
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The giraffe’s anatomy changed gradually over millions of years.
http://rsos.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/2/10/150393
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The giraffe’s heart evolved in tandem with the giraffe’s long neck.
http://cutefunnyanimal.blogspot.com/2013/05/giraffe-cute-images-2013.htmlhttp://www.africahunting.com/hunting-pictures-videos/showphoto.php?photo=12585&title=giraffe-heart&cat=543
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Prodremotherium lived about 25 million years ago.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Leptomeryx_BW.jpg/220px-Leptomeryx_BW.jpghttp://img01.deviantart.net/20ea/i/2015/023/2/4/giraffids_by_tfprime1114-d8f4i5k.png
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Canthumeryx, an ancestor of the giraffe, may have represented the evolutionary divergence
point for the modern okapi and giraffe.
http://america.pink/images/8/4/8/5/8/7/en/2-canthumeryx.jpghttp://www.conservapedia.com/images/5/5e/Dawkins_giraffe_2.png
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Sivatherium was the prehistoric ancestor of the okapi.
http://img01.deviantart.net/20ea/i/2015/023/2/4/giraffids_by_tfprime1114-d8f4i5k.pnghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sivatherium#/media/File:Sivatherium_giganteus_2.JPG
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Samotherium was the prehistoric ancestor of the modern giraffe.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samotherium#/media/File:Giraffidcomparison.jpghttp://www.conservapedia.com/images/5/5e/Dawkins_giraffe_2.png
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Samotherium skull vs modern Giraffe skull.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samotherium#/media/File:Samotherium_boissieri.JPG http://skullsite.co.uk/Giraffe/giraffe_F_lat_800.jpg
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The advantages given by the giraffe’s long neck are still debated today.
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/drinking-giraffe-johan-elzenga.htmlhttp://openwalls.com/wallpapers?search=giraffe+and+baby+giraffe
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Sourceshttp://rsos.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/2/10/150393
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/10/151007033229.htm
http://www.sunstar-solutions.com/AOP/SOW/vpaleo.htm
http://www.marylandzoo.org/animals-conservation/mammals/okapi/
https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/wild-things/how-giraffe-got-its-long-neck
http://natureinstitute.org/pub/ic/ic10/giraffe.htm
http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2015/10/07/how-giraffes-became-winners-by-a-neck/
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Despite some disadvantages associated with their current anatomy, giraffes, in their current
form, have hung in there for 3 million years!
http://76931d.medialib.glogster.com/kire3/avatars/1399486401/medium-kire3.png