Giraffes are already among the most unusual and instantly recognisable mammals in the world, but researchers have discovered an ancient ancestor that is even more bizarre.

Remains of the ancient creature called Xenokeryx amidalae were found in Spain and has a T-shaped horn protruding from the top of its skull.

It is part of an extinct family of animals related to the giraffe living up to 16 million years ago and has been named in honour of Star Wars character Padme Amidala due to the similarity of its horn to the character's headwear in The Phantom Menace.

Remains of the 16 million-year-old creature (pictured) was found in Spain and has a T-shaped horn protruding from the top of its skull. It is part of an extinct family of animals related to the giraffe called palaeomerycid. The creature lived between 16 and 11.5 million years ago, during the middle Miocene

Xenokeryx amidalae lived between 16 and 11.5 million years ago, during the middle Miocene, according to researchers from Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC in Madrid.

It is part of a group of animals called palaeomerycid - strange three horned Eurasian ruminants that have a specialised stomach designed to ferment food.

Researchers discovered the fossils at the La Retama fossil site within the Loranca Basin in the Iberian Peninsula.

The first palaeomerycids – which all have three horns - were originally described on the basis of fossils from Goergensmund, Germany.

Since then, others have been founds across Europe, with a diverse range found around the Iberian Peninsula and stretching to China.

To work out how the new find fits into the group, Israel M Sánchez and his team paid particular attention to the creature's T-shaped horn, as well as cranial fragments and teeth.

The beast has been named in honour of Star Wars character Padme Amidala played by Natalie Portman (left) due to the similarity of its horn to the character's headwear in The Phantom Menace. The researchers said palaeomerycids are in the clade Giraffomorpha, the least inclusive group containing the giraffe (right)

Researchers discovered the fossils at the La Retama fossil site within the Loranca Basin in the Iberian Peninsula. The first palaeomerycids were originally described on the basis of fossils from Germany. Since then, others have been founds across Europe, with a diverse range stretching to China

They were also interested in how palaeomerycids were related to other groups.

They concluded that Eurasian palaeomerycids are not closely related to North American dromomerycids, distant relatives to deer, as some scientists have thought.

Instead, they said palaeomerycids are in the clade Giraffomorpha - the least inclusive group containing the giraffe and the extinct Triceromeryx.

Dr Sánchez said: 'Establishing the place of palaeomerycids in the ruminant tree gives us insights into the evolutionary history of the large clade of pecoran ruminants that include giraffes as its only extant survivors.

'It shows us the amazing diversity of an ancient lineage that inhabited both Eurasia and Africa.'

The two 'horns' seen on modern-day giraffes are actually called 'ossicones.'

They are formed from ossified cartilage covered in skin and both males and females have them. The ossicones on a female are 'thin and tufted', while males and thicker.

Some subspecies males grow a second pair of ossicones behind the first pair.

The research is published in the journal Plos One.

Researchers paid particular attention to the creature's T-shaped horn, as well as cranial fragments and teeth. Cranial remains of Xenokeryx amidalae, including the strange T-shaped horn (A and C) are shown above