posted
A hybrid? That seems kind of unlikely to me, unless there has been some large-scale interbreeding going on. It seems, if I read the article correctly, that there is a population of these critters, not just one or two of them. There would have to be, if I remember my physical anthro class, a major isolation of the species if there were only a couple of instances of interbreeding that then produced a population of the new hybrid. In that case, there would be some problems in the way of a small gene pool. Or anyway, that seems to be the case. Otherwise, the hybrid genes should have been absorbed back into the existing population.
I would be more inclined to bet on a relatively new species, or else an ancient survival.
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posted
Even if genetically it's a hybrid, it still amounts to a new species if a population of these guys are living together and breeding. Many of todays species came about through hybridization of pre-existing species. Once they are a breeding population, then they can evolve from there in any direction their environment takes them. It's not that uncommon.
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posted
My money is on ancient species, but I would *love* for them to be a recent addition to the family tree.
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posted
awesome!! the walking upright thing interesting too. To my untrained eye, the skull of the "mystery ape" looked a lot like a human skull. I wonder if these apes will be more closely genetically related to humans than chimps are! That would turn things on their heads!
posted
How exciting! I hope we hear more soon. Though, I understand that it could take a while to get any new information, of course.
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