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 | |
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The 737 known elements of H. naledi | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Primates |
Suborder: | Haplorhini |
Infraorder: | Simiiformes |
Family: | Hominidae |
Subfamily: | Homininae |
Tribe: | Hominini |
Genus: | Homo |
Species: | †H. naledi |
Binomial name | |
Homo naledi Berger et al., 2015 | |
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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]

Comparison of the skull of H. naledi with other small-brained humans (H. habilis, H. erectus, and H. floresiensis)
Gallery
- Skeletal elements
- Top skull digital reconstruction
- Jaws of LES1 (left) and DH1 (right)
- Upper jawbone of LES1 (left) and DH1 (right)
- A lower jawbone
- A clavicle
- A humerus
- An ulna
- Metacarpals from different specimens
- 10th thoracic vertebra
- 11th thoracic vertebra
- A femur
- A tibia
- Ankle bones from different specimens
- 1) adult right foot, 2) juvenile left, 3 and 4) adult left, 5) juvenile right
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.
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