Homo florensis were discovered recently as a new hominid species and provided some new evidence for the three models of human origins – Out-of-Africa, the Multiregional, and the Assimilation theories. According to Whitehouse (2018), Homo florensis were found on the island of Flores in Indonesia. The main characteristic that differs them from Homo sapiens is a small brain. However, they are classified as hominin because they could stand straight and were bipedal.
Due to the fact that this species was found in Indonesia and no clear evidence suggesting that Homo florensis migrated to this part of the world from Africa is present, it can be argued that the data supports Multiregional model. One should note that it is possible that this species migrated before the evolution of Homo erectus in Africa, which explains their significant distinctions from modern humans and provides support to the Out-of-Africa model.
However, it can be stated that Homo florensis discovery presents some support to the Assimilation model. They possess both similar and distinct features when compared to Homo Sapience, which can suggest that upon migration, the environment affected their evolution. Therefore, their small height and brain size are a part of the assimilation process, which allowed them to adapt to the new conditions. It is possible that this species left Africa and migrated to Asia where were transformed due to the external impact of the climate and environment.
Finally, it can be concluded that Homo florensis refute the Out-of-Africa model because they differ significantly from other hominid species, which suggests that no gene flow was present between Homo sapiens and other archaic humans. Overall, one can argue that the discovery of Homo florensis supports both the Assimilation and Multiregional models.
Work Cited
Whitehouse, Anab. Evolution Unredacted. One Draft Publications, 2018.