Resolving the "muddle in the middle": The case for Homo bodoensis sp. nov

Area of Science:

• Palaeoanthropology
• Human Evolution
• Taxonomy

Background:

• The Middle Pleistocene (Chibanian) hominin taxonomy is currently unclear and requires revision.
• Existing hominin taxa, Homo heidelbergensis and Homo rhodesiensis, are poorly defined and do not encompass the full variability observed.
• Recent palaeoanthropological discoveries necessitate a re-evaluation of hominin classification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To resolve the nebulous state of Middle Pleistocene (Chibanian) hominin taxonomy.
• To suppress two existing hominin taxa and introduce a new species.
• To provide a clearer framework for understanding human evolution during this period.

Main Methods:

• Taxonomic revision based on morphological analysis of fossil hominins.
• Reassignment of existing fossil specimens to new or existing taxa.
• Proposal of a new species, Homo bodoensis sp. nov.

Main Results:

• Suppression of Homo heidelbergensis and Homo rhodesiensis as valid Middle Pleistocene taxa.
• Introduction of Homo bodoensis sp. nov. as an early Middle Pleistocene ancestor of Homo sapiens, with a pan-African and eastern Mediterranean distribution.
• Reassignment of many Western European fossils (e.g., Sima de los Huesos) to Homo neanderthalensis, indicating early Neanderthal trait appearance.
• Identification of Middle Pleistocene Asian fossils as likely representing a distinct lineage.

Conclusions:

• The proposed taxonomic changes will enhance clarity in Middle Pleistocene hominin classification.
• Homo bodoensis sp. nov. represents a key ancestral species for Homo sapiens.
• The study clarifies the evolutionary relationships between African, European, and Asian hominins during the Middle Pleistocene.