Who are Homo Naledi?

About Homo Naledi:

• Homo naledi is a previously-unknown species of extinct hominin.
• Fossil  of Homo Naledi were first discovered in the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star Cave system in South Africa during an expedition led by Lee Berger beginning October 2013. 
• This excavation remains the largest collection of a single hominin species that has been found in Africa. 
• Where Lived: South Africa
• When Lived: 335,000 - 236,000 years ago
• Height: Approximately 4 ft 9 in (1.44m
• Weight: Estimates range from 88 – 123lbs (39.7 – 55.8kg).
• Homo naledi appears to have lived near the same time as early ancestors of modern humans. 
• Homo naledi shared some similarities with humans, like walking upright and manipulating objects by hand, but members of the species had smaller heads, a shorter stature, and were thinner and more powerfully built.
• Homo naledi’s shoulders — which were oriented for better climbing — and teeth shared similarities with earlier hominins like Australopithecus.
• They had human-like hands and feet but a brain a third of the size of humans.
• Anatomic features that H. naledi had in common with other members of Homo include reduced cheek teeth and similar jaws and feet.

 

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Q1) What are hominin species?

Hominin – the group consisting of modern humans, extinct human species and all our immediate ancestors (including members of the genera Homo, Australopithecus, Paranthropus and Ardipithecus).

Source: Homo naledi, long-lost human species, buried their dead and carved cave symbols, say scientists