2: Lumping and Splitting: Homo habilis v. Homo rudolfensis
The genus Homo suggests reliance on tools as well as dietary and behavioral flexibility. The earliest fossils that belong to this genus appear between 2.8 and 2.5 mya, and they extend to about 1.7 mya. This fossil collection, however, does vary significantly in facial and cranial size, suggesting to some they should be “split” into two separate species. Other paleontologists prefer to “lump” similar fossils explaining the diversity as natural variation or differences between the sexes.
Compare the type specimens for Homo habilis and (possible) Homo rudolfensis. What differences do you observe? Given what you saw for species differences in previous fossil comparisons, do you think there are enough differences to consider them two different species?
