THE Neanderthalthe first prehistoric human species to which a name was given, had a characteristic and almost unique Facial skull conformationbut we never knew why. Today, thanks to an all -Italian research led by Sapienza University of Romea Mystery of very old datethe one that led the evolution to make this ancient population thus particular.
The scientists focused in particular on the cervical tract of the spine, the base of the skull and the face of the Neanderthaltrying to understand the functional and evolutionary meaning.
In other words, they aimed to understand how and when these transformations were, starting from two assumptions: our species and theirs have one common origin But ours started in Africa while their in Europe.
In fact, we know that in the north of the Mediterranean, at the time of Neanderthalthe hard conditions of the quaternarymade of glacial cycles alternating with interglacial phases, and is therefore probably this scenario that has a series of progressive adaptations is triggeredincluding a short and robust neck, not very mobile, as well as a skull strongly integrated with the trunk.
Among other things – but this had already been previously hypothesized – the characteristic massive structure of our common ancestors – was particularly advantageous during the close hunt for great prey. Today the researchers also argue that the adaptation of the cervical tract, or that of the neck, may have been one of the first to emerge in the evolutionary path of Neanderthal.
The evolution of the neck would then have conditioned both chewing and breathingcontributing to their almost unique morphology. These rigid climatic conditions were not present in Africa, where the long history of the Sapiens which continues today, and therefore our most direct ancestors would have evolved differently.
What even more interesting, if the hypothesis was confirmed, we would have the first demonstration of how an initial change can trigger, during the evolution, a “Morfo-Functional Cascata” more extensive.
On the other hand, by a skull, that of Petralona (found in a Greek cave in 1960) It was also recently discovered that the Neanderthals were not alone, but “lived up” with another human species even more primitive than them (and of course of the Sapiens).
The study – explains Giorgio Manzi, who guided the research – is the result of years of research and a consolidated interest by Fabio Di Vincenzo, Antonio Profico and Mia for the evolution of the Neanderthals. It was also made possible thanks to the integration with studies on the biomechanics of chewing and posture
The work was published on Evolutionary Anthropology.
Sources: Sapienza University of Rome / Evolutionary Anthropology
