Lately, researchers have named the newly discovered species of human ancestor, Homo Bodoensis. Scientists have discovered the head skeleton of a human species that lived in Africa 5 lakh years ago. Notably, scientists say that this newly found species is the ancestor of modern man. It belongs to the Middle Pleistocene era.
Researchers from the University of Winnipeg who are studying this, believe that this discovery will reveal many such things related to that era, and the development of human beings can be understood more closely.
About discovery:
A little is known about humans of the Middle Pleistocene era, fossils discoveries from Africa and Eurasia like this provide more information about that era. Homo Bodoensis is the proposed name for fossils of a group of hominins that lived in Africa during a period commonly known as the Middle Pleistocene, specifically called the Chibanian ranging from 7,70,000 to 1,26,000 years ago. The species is not discovered by unearthing any new fossil. Instead, anthropologists realized that existing fossils which had previously been known to belong to different species were the remnants of just one. Their DNA was examined which has thrown light on various things. The term ‘Bodoensis’ has been taken from a skull found in the Bodo D’ar region of Ethiopia.
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Scientists have made several illustrations based on the remains found in Africa.
- The body of Homo Bodoensis was short and stout.
- Scientists believe that their bodies were bit small and stocky. The body structure was such that it could survive in the winter season.
- The length of the males of this species was not more than 5 feet 9 inches. At the same time, the height of women was up to 5 feet 2 inches
- The species was potentially present in Europe during the Middle Pleistocene and may have contributed to a mixed morphology seen in Arago, Petralona, and possibly other fossils in Western Europe.
- Homo Bodoensis separated from the Eurasian groups before the split of the Eurasian forms into Neanderthals, Denisovans, and possibly other groups.
Extinction of Homo Bodoensis:
Researchers say, before modern humans migrated to Africa, they were extinct 2 million years ago. Naming such a species is a great achievement. Anthropologists are believing that Homo Bodoensis was probably genetically closer to Homo sapiens than any other contemporary hominin group.