New Species to Human Lineage
Two explorers working with scientists from the University of Witwatersrand discovered the Dinaledi Chamber On September 13, 2013 which contained the first skeletal specimens of a new species in the human lineage. About two years later on September 10, 2015 the scientists publicly announced their findings, calling the new species Homo naledi. According to preliminary studies, this species is believed to be about 2.5 to 2.8 millions years old.
Homo naledi has some interesting features that it shares with modern humans and others that differ from modern humans. For example, Homo naledi has very curved finders, which signals tree climbing abilities. However, it has feet that are nearly identical to modern humans, meaning Homo naledi was capable of long distance, upright walking. Homo naledi is expected to have had a brain size about a third of a modern human’s and being approximately five feet tall and weighing one hundred pounds.
This new discovery relates to class because lineages can be thought of as networks. Each species corresponds to a node, with the ancestry and evolution denoted by edges between related species. The addition of this new species to the human lineage not only adds a new node, but it creates a new set of edges between other existing nodes.
Furthermore, the biological features between different species can be used to determine their strong and weak valued ties to compare their evolutionary differences. This layer to this overall network can be used to track the connections and evolution of certain biological features. For example, the curved fingers of the Homo naledi may share strong ties to certain apes but a weak to modern humans.
Overall, lineages—including scientific classifications of species—can be observed as a network of evolving species and biological features.
Source:
“Homo Naledi, New Species in Human Lineage, Is Found in South African Cave” by John Noble Wilford
http://nyti.ms/1hZYvyU