Homo naledi

Homo naledi is an extinct species of the genus Homo. Its scientific name is abbreviated as H. naledi. 

The species may have lived in the Middle Pleistocene epoch around 335,000–236,000 years ago. Its fossils have only been found in a single place: the Rising Star Cave system in South Africa's Cradle of Humankind. 

The name naledi is a reference to this cave system: it means 'star' in the Sotho language.Berger, L.R.; et al. (2015). "Homo naledi, a new species of the genus Homo from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa". eLife. 4 e09560. doi:10.7554/eLife.09560. PMC 4559886. PMID 26354291.

It is unclear exactly where H. naledi fits within the genus Homo.

 Description 
Even though it is in the Homo genus, H. naledi has some similarities with the Australopithecus genus. It also shares some similarities with archaic (early) human species. For example, its brain was small compared to modern humans. In addition, its teeth are more similar to australopithecines than to other members of the genus Homo.Berthaume, M. A.; Delezene, L. K.; Kupczik, K. (2018). "Dental topography and the diet of Homo naledi" (PDF). Journal of Human Evolution. 118: 14–26. Bibcode:2018JHumE.118...14B. doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2018.02.006. PMID 29606200. 

On average, H. naledi was about 1.46 meters (4.8 feet) tall and weighed between 39-55 kg (86-121 pounds). On average, males were 20% bigger than females.Garvin, H. M.; Elliot, M. C.; Delezene, L. K. (2017). "Body size, brain size, and sexual dimorphism in Homo naledi from the Dinaledi Chamber". Journal of Human Evolution. 111: 119–138. Bibcode:2017JHumE.111..119G. doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.06.010. PMID 28874266.

H. naledi was bipedal: it walked upright, on two feet. Still, it was better adapted to climbing and tree-dwelling than it was to running long distances (like modern humans are). 

H. naledi physically could have created stone tools, based on analysis of fossil wrists and hands.Berger, L.R.; Hawks, J.D.; Dirks, P.H.G.M.; Elliott, M.; Roberts, E.M. (2017). "Homo naledi and Pleistocene hominin evolution in subequatorial Africa". eLife. 6 e24234. doi:10.7554/eLife.24234. PMC 5423770. PMID 28483041. However, we will never know if H. naledi had the cognitive ability to make these tools.Garvin, H. M.; Elliot, M. C.; Delezene, L. K. (2017). "Body size, brain size, and sexual dimorphism in Homo naledi from the Dinaledi Chamber". Journal of Human Evolution. 111: 119–138. Bibcode:2017JHumE.111..119G. doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.06.010. PMID 28874266.

 Diet 
Based on analysis of fossil teeth, H. naledi was an omnivore that ate meat, plants, and probably nuts and tubers.

Its teeth are different than the teeth of other species of Homo that were alive around the same time.

 Discovery 
In the Rising Star Cave, cavers were the first to find H. naledi specimens. The specimens were deep within the cave and were so difficult to reach that the initial team sent to search for them was made up only of small-bodied women.

By 2015, scientists had found 1,569 specimens in the cave system, representing at least 69 different people. This is the largest collection of a single species of hominin that paleoanthropologists have ever found in Africa.

Very few animal fossils or tools have been found near H. naledi fossils. This makes it difficult for paleoanthropologists to learn anything about how this species lived.


 Gallery 

 Related pages 

 Homo
 Human evolution
 Pleistocene

 References 

Category:Hominins
Category:Prehistoric Africa