Final answer:
Researchers Wood and Collard suggest reclassification of early members of the genus Homo. Criteria such as larger brain size and tool-making capabilities, among others, distinguish Homo species. Debates in paleoanthropology indicate complexities and overlap in traits, leading to proposals for reclassification in line with Australopithecus or other hominins.
Step-by-step explanation:
Researchers such as Wood and Collard have proposed that early members of the genus Homo be reclassified to reflect their physiological and genetic traits more accurately. These early human ancestors display complex characteristics, blurring the lines of classification, hence why the criteria for Homo classification have often been debated. The genus Homo, which once included at least eight different species in the human lineage, with Homo sapiens being the only survivor, demonstrates the diversification and changes that occurred within this group over time.
Other than bipedalism, criteria for classifying a species under genus Homo include a larger brain size, dexterity needed for making tools, reduced prognathism, and a more humanlike postcranial skeletal structure. Homo habilis is an example of one of the earliest species in the genus Homo, and it is characterized by a larger brain size compared to australopithecines, the use of tools, and features that facilitated upright walking.
Neanderthals, which are considered members of the genus Homo and evolved from Homo erectus, lived in Europe and western Asia between 200,000 and 30,000 years ago. They display physical characteristics and DNA evidence that support their classification within the genus Homo. However, evolving perspectives in anthropology may edge towards reclassifying some Homo species, suggesting a lineage more closely aligned with Australopithecus or other hominin groups.