Habilis and Erectus overlapped

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6937476.stm

Now, habilis and erectus are now thought to be sister species
that overlapped in time.

The new fossil evidence reveals an overlap of about 500,000 years
during which Homo habilis and Homo erectus must have co-existed
in the Turkana basin area, the region of East Africa where the fossils
were unearthed.

"Their co-existence makes it unlikely that Homo erectus evolved
from Homo habilis," said co-author Professor Meave Leakey,
palaeontologist and co-director of the Koobi Fora Research Project.
. . . . . "


This find is extremely puzzling to standard PA,
leading to all manner of weird theories (see
rest of article) such as that Habilis and Erectus
were able to co-exist because they were not
competitive and occupied quite distinct niches.

What a laugh!

It is, in fact, a beautiful confirmation of my
proposal that inland sites (such as Lake
Turkana) were those of hominid 'refugees'
fleeing from their coastal habitats. None
of them would ever have lived in that area
for more than a short time, and it is most
unlikely that any ever raised infants to
maturity in that location.

These two individuals might have been
members of small parties which occupied
this site in succeeding years. They
certainly did not occupy it together.

Although it is surprising that the hostility
between separate groups of coastal
hominids was so great, and so persistent
over so many hundreds of thousands of
years, that they were able to evolve into
such different species or (IMHO more
accurately) sub-species.


Paul.


.

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  • Re: Habilis and Erectus overlapped
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