10/19/2022
The Newest Members of
the Genus Homo
Genus Homo
1
Homo naledi, South Africa

Homo luzonensis, Phillippines

Homo floresiensis, Indonesia

Denisovans, Siberia
2
Homo naledi

Homo naledi
335,000- 236,000 years ago
 later than expected
3

335,000- 236,000 years ago
 later than expected

Rising Star cave system, South Africa
 only place fossils have been
found…so far
4
Homo naledi

5

Homo floresiensis
335,000- 236,000 years ago
 later than expected

Rising Star cave system, South Africa
 only place fossils have been
found…so far

How did they get there?
 Intentional burial
 Accidentally got lost in cave system

Liang Bua Cave, Indonesia

50/60-100 kya (recent date)
6
1
10/19/2022
Homo floresiensis
Homo floresiensis
Liang Bua Cave, Indonesia

Liang Bua Cave, Indonesia

50/60-100 kya (recent date)

50/60-100 kya (recent date)

Multiple dwarfed individuals
 approx. 3’6” tall
 chimp-sized brain (400cc)

Multiple dwarfed individuals
 approx. 3’6” tall
 chimp-sized brain (400cc)

Nicknamed “The Hobbits”

7
8
Homo floresiensis

Liang Bua Cave, Indonesia

50/60-100 kya (recent date)

Multiple dwarfed individuals
 approx. 3’6” tall
 chimp-sized brain (400cc)

Nicknamed “The Hobbits”

Used stone tools and possibly fire
 charred and butchered animal bones
9
Homo floresiensis

10
Homo floresiensis
11
Origins unclear
Homo floresiensis

Origins unclear

Origins unclear

Dwarf population of Homo
erectus?
 Insular dwarfism

Dwarf population of Homo
erectus?
 Insular dwarfism

Modern Homo sapiens with
deformities?
12
2
10/19/2022
Homo luzonensis
Homo luzonensis

Callao Cave, Philippines

Callao Cave, Philippines

~67,000- 50,000 years ago

~67,000- 50,000 years ago

Similar in size to H.
floresiensis
13
14
Denisovans
Denisovans

Denisova Cave, Siberia

Interbred with other hominins

41 kya

“Denny”
 13 year old female
 Neanderthal mother
 Denisovan father

Mostly known from aDNA
 Common ancestor with
Neanderthals that left Africa
~500,000 years ago
15
16
Denisovans
Denisovans in context
Figure by Viviane Slon
@tommyhigham
17
18
3
10/19/2022
The Genetic Evidence
The Genetic Evidence

Modern human populations outside of Africa possess
1-4% of distinctive Neanderthal DNA
19

Modern human populations outside of Africa possess 1-4%
of distinctive Neanderthal DNA

Melanesian populations contain 4-5% of distinctive
Denisovan DNA
20
The Genetic Evidence

Modern human populations outside of Africa possess
1-4% of distinctive Neanderthal DNA

Melanesian populations contain 4-5% of distinctive
Denisovan DNA

Suggests interbreeding of premodern and modern
populations
21
22
Have a
good
weekend!
@Filthymonkeymen
23
4