Hi, Chaoticskunk.
chaoticskunk writes:
I am not a geneticist but I am not sure about that. I think Sapiens and Neaderthalensis are decendants of Heidelbergensis, making them more on the same level rather than one being a sub species of another.
Homo heidelbergensis was likely also the same species. Neanderthal genes have been found in most modern humans, indicating that some level of interbreeding occurred: this suggests that Neanderthal and
sapiens are closely-related enough to be considered the same species.
It all depends on where you want to draw your arbitrary lines.
chaoticskunk writes:
I see not geographical difference. I think sapiens encountered both, and I know Erectus were in Europe, but did the other two exist when they were is more the real question.
I think the only "European"
Homo erectus known is from the Caucasus, and it was from well before the first Neanderthals or heidelbergines began to appear there.
And, it isn't about whether the three species ever encountered each other.
Homo erectus evolved in Africa and expanded into Asia. Meanwhile,
heidelbergensis evolved in Africa, then expanded into Europe, and gradually diverged into a European form (
neanderthalensis) and an African form (
sapiens). At some later point in time,
sapiens expanded and came into contact with the other species, but
only after they had been partially isolated for some time, and had already evolved into distinct "species" during their isolation.
By comparison,
habilis,
rudolfensis and
ergaster not only lived in the same location at the same time, but also apparently
evolved into distinct "species" in the same location and at around the same time. This is called "sympatric speciation": something other than geography was a barrier to interbreeding between these "species."
-Bluejay (a.k.a. Mantis, Thylacosmilus)
Darwin loves you.