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Re: Modern Neanderthals?
Rohinton Collins (rohinton@collins.prestel.co.uk)
21 Oct 1996 10:52:58 GMT
Although taxonomic decisions on extinct species must necessarily be based
on small numbers of fossils (sometimes single finds, sometimes a single
tooth!) and this will inevitably lead to ambiguity, using the same method
on extant species is foolhardy. Any one member of a species will often
display perhaps one or more features which are not 'characteristic' or
'typical' of the species in general. This is simply intra-species
variation. Studies of extant species must contain large samples in order to
diminish the significance of any such 'rogue features'.
Regards,
Roh.
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