Is the Astragalar Index a Valid Character for the Study of Giraffid Phylogeny?

Research Article

Authors: Rios M

Astragali are one of the most recovered skeletal elements as it can be seen in several of the most complete giraffid fossil

collections. Even in sites where all the skeletal elements are well represented they tend to be one of the more abundant,

making them a very valuable element for the identification and study of the taxa they belong to. Recent studies have shed

light on the phylogenetic importance of the morphological features of the astragalus but not valuable quantitative

parameters have been described yet. In this study we analyze several giraffid astragal biometric parameters to find out its

phylogenetic relevance, in cases were the preservation does not allow an accurate morphological description

Keywords: Astragalus; Giraffidae; Vertebrate; Mammalia; Morphology; Phylogeny

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