Re: Neandertal link to Homo Sapiens?

Herb Huston (huston@access1.digex.net)
16 Mar 1995 22:56:06 -0500

In article <3k5hth$kio@jupiter.wichitaks.hmpd.com>,
Jim Foley <jimf@vangelis.FtCollins.NCR.com> wrote:
}In article <D5FxsK.5Bv@wang.com>, Guy Praria <gpraria@wang.com> wrote:
}>A couple of years ago I read in National Geographic that Neandertals and
}>Homo Sapiens evolved from two different apes. I am new to this
}>newsgroup, but I get the impression that it is generally believed that
}>Neandertals and Homo Sapiens had a much more recent common ancestor. Is
}>there some consensus on when the two branches diverged?
}
}Where and when they emerged is, like most things in paleoanthropology, a
}matter of hot discussion, but it's safe to say the common ancestor was
}not an ape. Probably either Homo erectus or archaic Homo sapiens.

What's your definition of "ape?" Since I use it as a synonym for hominoid,
I feel safe in saying that the common ancestor was an ape. I'll even go
out on a limb and say it was an African great ape.

-- Herb Huston
-- huston@access.digex.net