HOMO FLORESIENSIS

Homo Floresiensis

Homo Floresiensis

Introduction

In 2003, on the island of Flores in Indonesia, a joint team of Indonesian - Australian scientists were searching for human species, which migrated from Asia to Australia. In the Liang Bua cave recovered almost a complete skeleton and named it LB1. This discovery provided the archeologists with nine individual's incomplete skeleton including a skull. The expected age of those skeletons is 95000 years ago - 12000 years ago.

The species in this discovery were believed to be different from the existing specie structure. In 2004, they were named Homo Floresiensis. The name Homo Floresiensis was derived from the word Homo which relates to great Apes and human species. Floresiensis was derived from the island of Flores where this specie was found. LB1 the first skeleton of this type finds its name from the initials of cave Liang Bua. The homo Floresiensis were nicknamed The Hobbit from a science fiction novel of J. R. R. Tolkien's fiction novel named The Hobbit (Lyras, 2009).

Discussion

Characteristics

Homo Floresiensis are perceived as one of the earliest human beings on earth. Their existence is predicted to be between 95000 to 12000 years ago. The approximate height of the homo Floresiensis is about 3 feet 6 inches tall. The size of the brain is also small. Their teeth are considered to be larger when compared to their physical structures. Their physical attributes were unique. They had no chins and receding foreheads in their face attributes. Their shoulders were shrugged - forward their legs were short and their feet were long as compared to the rest of the body. Their estimated weight was 25 - 30 kilograms.

The Brain

The brain of homo Floresiensis specie of LB1, which was female specie as predicted by archeologists, was very small as compared to the brain of Homo sapiens. Their brain has the shape of a typical chimpanzee, but it is the smallest brain found till date of an australopithecine. The volume of the LB1 sample is estimated to be 380 cubic centimeter. The size of their brain is one third the size of their presumed ancestors i.e. Homo Erectus.

The Body

The prediction of the Homo Floresiensis body is made on the study of the first skeleton system extracted from the cave. The LB1 skeleton extracted from that cave is of a female Homo Floresiensis. It has a complete cranium. The height of the first two samples of homo Floresiensis is evaluated 3 feet 6 inch and 3 feet 7 inch respectively, which is below the height of average Homo sapiens or modern human.

Additional Features

The above stated features of height and brain are similar to some extent to existing species like Homo Erectus, but the additional features found in their bone structure are unique and provide sufficient evidence that Homo Floresiensis are different species.

They do not have chin in their skulls their arm bones are low twisted relative to a normal human. Their leg bones are thicker than other species. These evidences have been acknowledged by individual researchers, but their significance is yet ...