How the giraffe's long neck evolved has long remained a mystery. There were different opinions on
But as researchers observed more of the behavior of giraffes, they began to realize that the elegant long neck actually serves as a weapon in male competition.
Giraffes swing their neck, which is 2 to 3 m long, to strike with their skull at the enemy's weak points. As a result, the longer the neck, the more damage the giraffe does.
The authors of the new work examined the remainsDiscokeryx xiezhi. This is an unusual early giraffiform. It turned out that the neck size of male giraffes is directly related to social hierarchy, and competition for courtship is the main reason for neck growth.
According to the team, the Discokeryx cervical vertebraexiezhi were very thick and had the most intricate connections between the head and neck. This spine morphology was optimal for headbutting.
About 7 million years ago East African Plateauchanged from forest to open grassland, and the giraffe's direct ancestors had to adapt to the changes. It is possible that male giraffe ancestors during this period developed a way to attack their competitors by waving their necks and heads. This struggle, which was maintained by sexual selection, led to the fact that giraffes began to grow necks. Over the course of 2 million years, it grew and became the length that modern giraffes have.
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