Climacoceratidae

Climacoceratidae Temporal range: Miocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific 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

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.