Intertidal giraffes revisited

[msylee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

>>"A giraffid skull and mandible from the early Mid Miocene Kermaria
>>Formation at Thymania (Island of Chios, Greece) has enabled revision of the
>>genus _Georgiomeryx_.  The new specimen is compared with attachment spines,
>>supplimenting a pedicle which is functional throughout ontology and
>>regarded as anchoring the animal possibly to algal strands above the see
>>floor."
>>
"Functional throughout ontology" - does this mean that when the giraffe
does not exist, the pedicle (sic?) doesn't work?

                                                        Mike Lee