The first Neanderthals and the classic Neanderthals probably experienced a bottle of genetic strangulation 110,000 years ago

The pre-niarterthals traveled once the Eurasia about 500,000 years ago at 250,000 years ago. During the end of this period, the pre-annuals slowly started the evolutionary process in early Neanderthals, which would then become the classic Neanderthal.

During this period, most resideers thought that Neanderthals had very few scalable changes. However, recent results published in Nature communications Maybe just changed this longtime belief. The study examines a specific “strangulation event” which suggests that a significant genetic loss occurred between the first Neanderthals and the classic Neanderthals.

What is a bottleneck event?

In the study of genetics, a bottleneck event refers to a sudden drop in a population of species. These departures can be caused by natural disasters, such as earthquakes and floods, as well as pandemics, famine and human intervention.

The American bison is an example of a genetic strangulation event. Before European settlers push west in the hearts of North America, there were millions of American bison. However, due to rigor and slaughter, only 750 bisons remained in the late 1800s. While the herds made a return, genetic diversity was lost.

The theory of a bottle of genetic strangulation in the Neanderthal line is not specific to this research. According to a study published in Nature communicationsA bottleneck event probably occurred at the start of the Neanderthal line. Although a more in -depth study is necessary to solidify this theory, the research team used their hypothesis to inform their results.

Learn more: The fascinating path of Neanderthal’s evolution: Where did the Neanderthals come from?

When the Neanderthal strangling neck has occurred

For this study, the research team analyzed the DNA samples taken from two fossil collections. The first comes from the Sima Huesos Sima site in Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain, which is around 430,000 years old. It also constitutes the largest sample of pre-niarterthals available in the fossil file. The second comes from Krapina, a site in Croatia with the most complete collection of early Neanderthals, which dates back to around 130,000 years to 120,000 years.

The results revealed a certain genetic loss between the first Neanderthals and the classic Neanderthals. From data, the research team determined that this strangulation event was likely to occur about 110,000 years ago. According to the study, the results of the morphological analysis are similar to those obtained by DNA comparisons.

One ear for genetic bottlenecks

The Catalan Paleontology Institute, Download.

This is true, the team was able to determine the genetic diversity based on Neanderthal’s ears. The results show that classic Neanderthals had lower morphological diversity of semi-circular canals than pre-niarterthals.

“We were surprised to note that the pre-networkers of the Huesos de Sima de Los had a level of morphological diversity similar to that of the first Neanderthal Krapina,” said Alessandro Urciuoli, principal author of the study, in a press release. “This calls into question the common hypothesis of a strangulation event at the origin of the Neanderthal line.”

The results indicate that a bottleneck event occurred, but probably not at the time that the researchers thought it before. These results are another piece of the Neanderthal evolutionary puzzle.

“By including fossils from a wide geographical and temporal range, we were able to capture a complete image of Neanderthal evolution. The reduction in the diversity observed between the sample of Krapina and the classic Neanderthals is particularly striking and clear, providing solid evidence of a bottleneck event, “said the co-author of the Mercedes Conde-Valverde study in a press release.

This article is a republished version of Ther Article published previously.

Learn more: Explore Neanderthal ancestry: Who came before the Neanderthals?

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