Discokeryx xiezhi

Discokeryx xiezhi was a giraffoid from the Junggan Basin in China in the Miocene. They had disc-like headgear and cervical vertebrae with thickened centra, which were probably adaptations for head-butting between males.

Rather than focusing on their head-butting behavior, I wanted to portray a peaceful scene in spring with a mother and calf. I really enjoyed the research process, and while I primarily grounded my creative decisions in science, I also took some liberties in the coloring and environment for aesthetic appeal.

Special thanks to Ivan Iofrida for the skeletal diagrams he made of Discokeryx xiezhi, which were very helpful and informative.