Age of Hominids: The Four Races

Hybrids between closely related species are usually sterile because they have a different number of chromosomes. The first sequencing of Neandertals found an identical chromosome count, so this wouldn't be an issue.

Edit: The best analogy to how it could work, if the populations could keep technological parity, is how polar bears and brown bears are related, or coyotes and wolves. In both cases we continue to talk about distinct species because there are morphological differences, and the main lines diverged within the last million years, but there has continued to be fully fertile crossbreeding at times across the species boundary.
 
Hybrids between closely related species are usually sterile because they have a different number of chromosomes. The first sequencing of Neandertals found an identical chromosome count, so this wouldn't be an issue.

Cite, please? I couldnt find a statement pro or con when i looked.

I know that some people have taken Robert Sawyers claim in his novels that they were different as gospel, but he had an axe or three to grind....
 
As for interbreeding. Larus gulls interbreed all the time, as do Anas ducks (mallards etc). But no one can mistake a pintail with a mallard, well, ok, males in breeding season, anyway.

Just because species interbreed doesnt mean 1) that theyll merge, 2) that they werent species in the first place or 3) that the whole concept of species is meaningless.

As for humans and neanderthal interbreeding, we have clear evidence of that. Everyone whose ancestors left africa have about 6% neanderthal dna.
 
If the Neanderthal population is larger by the time Sapiens arrive, and the two begin to interbreed as I have mentioned before (with the sterilization point now voided) then the likelyhood of their merger increases over time.

In the genes that differ between the two species, by today, half of those genes could be traced to one species or the other. The hybrid species would then be more prevalant and subblant both species.
 
OK, but I want something to save Floresiensis, could a stray band of Denisovans be able to interbreed with them? They would be absorbed into the population, their only genetic trace would be their IQs.
 
OK, but I want something to save Floresiensis, could a stray band of Denisovans be able to interbreed with them? They would be absorbed into the population, their only genetic trace would be their IQs.
Well there is still the possibility of the Red Deer Cave People being a distinct species.

Regardless, the range of Denisova limited to the mainland, and the larger islands of Indonesia. While Floresiensis is limited to the smaller islands, with no populations shown elsewhere as of yet. If it can be shown that they existed on some of the larger islands or managed to reach the Philippines, then there could be an area where the Denisova and Floresiens could breed.

But the hybrid would not likely gain any traits that would help it to survive, at least in my opinion.
 
Also, here is a simple graphic that I think might accurately potray the evolution of the genus Homo.

Homo.png

Homo.png
 
Yes they could, but there would be little reason to. There is no game to follow. The mainland itself is sustainable. I can't fathom a reason why they would go.
 
If the Neanderthal population is larger by the time Sapiens arrive, and the two begin to interbreed as I have mentioned before (with the sterilization point now voided) then the likelyhood of their merger increases over time.

In the genes that differ between the two species, by today, half of those genes could be traced to one species or the other. The hybrid species would then be more prevalant and subblant both species.



I think the Neanderthals could drive the Humans back to Asia if they are very much hostile.
 
I'm actually trying to picture these other "races": neanderthals are pretty straightforward, and Floresiensis could be thought of as OTL hobbits, but what would a Denisovan look like? (My Google Image search gave a less than clear answer.)
 
Somebody upthread suggested they were blond. Personally, I'd add dark-skinned.
Other than guessing, we have no way of knowing.
 
Brown skin, curly blond hair, I'm thinking that they would be lanky, not necessarily tall. Smooth noses, large eyes, feet constructed for long distance walking, not running like humans, and not standing like Neanderthals.
 
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Humans: Like San Africans in OTL, very good runners, put the Tarahumara to shame.
Neanderthals: White flat nostrils, flat feet, Big and Buff, bad runners, face look like carved from stone.
Denisovans: Brown skin, curly blond hair, I'm thinking that they would be lanky, not necessarily tall. Smooth noses, large eyes, feet constructed for long distance walking, not running like humans, and not standing like Neanderthals.
Floresiensis: very short, skin pitch black, curly, unkempt hair, monkey jaws.
 
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The reason that I think Denisovans still would have blond hair is that the genetic irregularity causing Solomon blond hair is impossible to find unless it's being looked for, otherwise their genome is the same as someone with brown hair. The genetic study probably got the girl's hair wrong.
 
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