Final answer:
Homo floresiensis, also known as 'the Hobbit' or 'Flores Man,' was an extinct species of archaic humans that lived on Flores Island in Indonesia from about 100,000 to 60,000 years ago. They were very small in size and had unique anatomical features.
Step-by-step explanation:
Homo floresiensis, also known as 'the Hobbit' or 'Flores Man,' was an extinct species of archaic humans that lived on Flores Island in Indonesia from about 100,000 to 60,000 years ago. They were very small in size, with adult individuals standing about 3 feet 7 inches tall. It is believed that they may have been a sister species of Homo habilis or the descendants of Homo erectus who became stranded on the island.
H. floresiensis had unique anatomical features, including the absence of a chin, thicker leg bones than modern humans, and flat feet. They exhibited a different form of bipedalism and had more mobility in the elbow joint, indicating a possible tree-climbing behavior. Despite their small brain size, they were not believed to have had reduced intelligence.
They shared the island with other Homo species, such as H. luzonensis in the Philippines. The discovery of these species challenged the previous understanding of the diversity and complexity within the Homo genus, particularly in island environments.