NECK ELONGATION IN GIRAFFES: FOSSIL EVIDENCE AND EVOLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

The evolution of the giraffe’s elongated neck has sparked ongoing debate, with key hypotheses including high browsing and sexual selection. The browsing hypothesis argues that longer necks evolved to access tall foliage and reduce food competition, while the “necks-for-sex” theory suggests male combat and dominance drove elongation. Fossil evidence offers partial support for both but remains incomplete. Lamarckian and Darwinian perspectives emphasize environmental pressures and inherited traits in shaping morphology. A synthesis of these views indicates that both feeding advantages and sexual competition likely contributed to neck elongation. Further research is needed to clarify unresolved anatomical and functional adaptations.