Homo naledi
Homo naledi is a species of archaic human found in the Rising Star Cave, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa. The species possibly lived in the Middle Pleistocene 335,000–236,000 years ago.[1] The initial discovery comprises 1,550 specimens, representing 737 different elements, and at least 15 different people.[2] Despite this exceptionally high number of specimens, their ranking with the Homo genus remains unclear.
| Homo naledi | |
|---|---|
| File:Homo naledi skeletal specimens.jpg | |
| The 737 known elements of H. naledi | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Order: | Primates |
| Family: | Hominidae |
| Genus: | Homo |
| Species: | †H. naledi
|
| Binomial name | |
| Homo naledi Berger et al., 2015
| |
| File:Location of Rising Star Cave.png | |
| Location of Rising Star Cave in the Cradle of Humankind, South Africa | |
Even though it is in the Homo genus, they have some similarities with the Australopithecus genus and the first human species. For example, they have a small brain compared to modern humans.[3] They were more adapted to climbing and tree-dwelling (aboreal) than running through long distances.[4]
Gallery
- Skeletal elements
- Homo naledi reconstruction of the endocranium.jpg
Top skull digital reconstruction
- Elife-24232-fig8-v1 LES1 mandible compared to the DH1 holotype mandible of Homo naledi.jpg
Jaws of LES1 (left) and DH1 (right)
- Elife-24232-fig9-v1 Comparison of LES1 maxilla to the DH1 holotype maxilla of Homo naledi.jpg
Upper jawbone of LES1 (left) and DH1 (right)
- Homo naledi mandible.jpg
A lower jawbone
- Elife-24232-fig14-v1 U.W. 102a-021 right clavicle from the Lesedi Chamber.jpg
A clavicle
- Elife-24232-fig16-v1 U.W. 102a-257 left proximal humerus fragment.jpg
A humerus
- Elife-24232-fig17-v1 Homo naledi U.W. 102a-015 ulna fragment.jpg
An ulna
- Homo naledi metacarpals.jpg
Metacarpals from different specimens
- Homo naledi T10 vertebra.jpg
10th thoracic vertebra
- Homo naledi T11 vertebra.jpg
11th thoracic vertebra
- Homo naledi femur.jpg
A femur
- Homo naledi tibia.jpg
A tibia
- Homo naledi tali from Dinaledi Chamber.jpg
Ankle bones from different specimens
- Associated pedal elements of Homo naledi from Dinaledi chamber, South Africa.jpg
1) adult right foot, 2) juvenile left, 3 and 4) adult left, 5) juvenile right
Homo Naledi Media
- Rising Star Cave system marking the Dinaledi and Lesedi Chambers.jpg
A map of the Rising Star Cave, marking the Dinaledi Chamber in yellow and the Lesedi Chamber in red
LES1 cranium.*Clockwise from upper left: three-quarter, frontal, superior and left lateral views. Fragments of the right temporal, the parietal and the occipital have also been recovered (not pictured), but without conjoins to the reconstructed vault or face. Scale bar = 5 cm.
A skeletal reconstruction of the juvenile DH7 – Scale 10 cm (4 in)
- Cartoon illustrating the geological and taphonomic context and distribution of fossils, sediments and flowstones within the Dinaledi Chamber.jpg
An illustration of the Dinaledi Chamber, in the Rising Star Cave
References
- ↑ Dirks, Paul HGM; Roberts, Eric M; Hilbert-Wolf, Hannah; Kramers, Jan D; Hawks, John; Dosseto, Anthony; Duval, Mathieu; Elliott, Marina; Evans, Mary (2017). "The age of Homo naledi and associated sediments in the Rising Star Cave, South Africa". eLife. 6. doi:10.7554/eLife.24231. ISSN 2050-084X. PMC 5423772. PMID 28483040.
- ↑ Berger, Lee R; Hawks, John; de Ruiter, Darryl J; Churchill, Steven E; Schmid, Peter; Delezene, Lucas K; Kivell, Tracy L; Garvin, Heather M; Williams, Scott A (2015-09-10). Krause, Johannes; Conard, Nicholas J (eds.). "Homo naledi, a new species of the genus Homo from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa". eLife. 4: e09560. doi:10.7554/eLife.09560. ISSN 2050-084X. PMC 4559886. PMID 26354291.
- ↑ Smith, Kiona N. (2018-05-14). "Homo naledi's brain: Like ours, but smaller". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
- ↑ "New Human Ancestor Walked Like Us, Climbed Like an Ape". Animals. 2015-10-06. Retrieved 2021-04-08.