Ossicone

Ossicones are special bone structures found on the heads of giraffes, male okapi, and some of their ancient relatives. These structures look like columns or cones and are covered with skin and fur. Unlike horns or antlers, ossicones grow in a unique way and always stay covered with skin.

Giraffes use their ossicones for protection and communication. Male giraffes often use them in gentle head-butting contests to show strength. The ossicones help protect the giraffe’s head during these interactions.

Scientists study ossicones to learn more about the evolution and behavior of giraffes and their relatives. These fascinating structures show how animals can develop special features to survive and communicate in their environments.

Structure

Giraffes have special bone structures on their heads called ossicones. These are covered in skin and fur and are attached to the skull. They start forming before birth but fully connect to the skull when giraffes grow up.

Both male and female giraffes have a pair of ossicones on the top of their skulls. Male giraffes usually have an extra, larger ossicone in the middle of their heads. Sometimes, giraffes can have even more small ossicones in different places on their heads. The ossicones of male giraffes are often thicker and may lose their fur from rubbing their necks together. In okapi, a relative of giraffes, males have smaller, pointier ossicones, while females do not have them at all.

Function

Male giraffes use their ossicones, which are special bone structures on their heads, like weapons when they fight. These ossicones help make their heads heavier and can focus the force of a hit into a small area, making the blows stronger.

Some scientists think that because ossicones have nerves and lots of blood, they might also help control the giraffes' body temperature.

Examples

Ossicones are special bone structures covered in skin that are found only in some animals in the Giraffoidea group. This group includes the Giraffidae family, which has giraffes, okapi, and some extinct relatives, as well as the extinct Climacoceratidae family. Scientists once thought the ossicones found in fossils might be horns, but later studies proved they are the same as the ossicones on giraffes and okapi.

Here is a list of some animals that have ossicones:

Giraffidae

• †Bramatherium (2 pairs)
• †Decennatherium (1 pair)
• Giraffa (giraffes; 1 pair)
• †Giraffokeryx (2 pairs)
• †Honanotherium (1 pair)
• †Injanatherium (2 pairs) – Angled horizontally relative to head
• †Mitilanotherium (1 pair)
• Okapia (okapi; 1–0 pairs) – Females lack ossicones
• †Palaeotragus (1–0 pairs) – Some species lacked ossicones
• †Samotherium (1 pair)
• †Shansitherium (1 pair)
• †Sivatherium (2 pairs)

Climacoceratidae

• †Climacoceras (1 pair)
• †Prolibytherium (1 pair) – Male ossicones plate-like; females more typical