Man has seven vertebrae in his neck, how many does a Giraffe have?
Giraffe before "Giraffokeryx". "Samotherium" was a particularly important transitional fossil in the giraffe lineage as its cervical vertebrae was intermediate in length and structure between a modern giraffe and an okapi, and was more vertical than the okapi's. "Bohlinia", which first appeared in southeastern Europe and lived 9–7 mya was likely a direct ancestor of the giraffe. "Bohlinia" closely resembled modern giraffes, having a long neck and legs and similar ossicones and dentition. "Bohlinia" entered China and northern India in response to climate change. From there, the genus "Giraffa" evolved and, around 7 mya, entered Africa. Further climate changes caused the
Giraffe legs in harmony or keep its head above the surface. The giraffe has an extremely elongated neck, which can be up to in length, accounting for much of the animal's vertical height. The long neck results from a disproportionate lengthening of the cervical vertebrae, not from the addition of more vertebrae. Each cervical vertebra is over long. They comprise 52–54 per cent of the length of the giraffe's vertebral column, compared with the 27–33 percent typical of similar large ungulates, including the giraffe’s closest living relative, the okapi. This elongation largely takes place after birth, perhaps because giraffe mothers would