A lost Neanderthal neonate found.
Fossil remains of adult Neanderthals are well documented, but juvenile specimens are rare and information about them is scant. Here we identify a beautifully preserved skeleton that has been lost to science for almost 90 years as the Neanderthal neonate known as 'Le Moustier 2', which was originally found at Le Moustier in the Dordogne, southwest France. This find will be a rich source of data for studying the evolution of human ontogeny as well as the phylogenetic relationship between these extinct hominids and anatomically modern humans.
Maureille
Bruno
B
UMR 5809 CNRS, Laboratoire d'Anthropologie des Populations du Passé, Université Bordeaux, Talence, France. b.maureille@anthropologie.u-bordeaux.fr
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D005580:Fossils; D005602:France; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D015186:Hominidae / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009144:Museums; D010802:Phylogeny; D012863:Skeleton