Scientists uncover new evidence linking to Indonesia's 'Hobbit' species

Fossilised bone fragments unearthed at Mata Menge on Indonesia's Flores island have provided new insights into the origins of Homo floresiensis, the diminutive extinct species nicknamed "The Hobbit."

Initially thought to be a crocodile bone, the fragments were later identified as part of the upper arm bone, or humerus, of an adult Homo floresiensis, dating back approximately 700,000 years.

The discovery, announced by scientists on Tuesday, includes the smallest limb bone known for any member of the human evolutionary lineage and two fossilized teeth.

This marks the first time a Hobbit bone beyond the cranium has been identified at the Mata Menge site, located in the So'a Basin near the Ebulobo volcano.

Researchers estimate that the individual stood about 3 feet 3 inches (one meter) tall, slightly shorter than the famous 60,000-year-old Homo floresiensis fossil discovered in 2003 at the Liang Bua cave, about 50 miles away.

The similarities between the Mata Menge fossils and those of Homo erectus from Java suggest that Homo floresiensis descended from this larger-bodied species.

"This means that Homo floresiensis experienced dramatic body size reduction from large-bodied Homo erectus, whose body size was similar to modern humans," said Professor Yousuke Kaifu of the University of Tokyo, lead author of the study published in Nature Communications.

The findings support the theory of island dwarfism, where larger-bodied mammals, such as elephants on Flores, shrink in size over generations due to environmental pressures, including food scarcity.

The researchers believe this process led to the emergence of Homo floresiensis between one million and 700,000 years ago.

Homo floresiensis, which went extinct shortly after Homo sapiens arrived in the region, is thought to have been an isolated lineage of archaic hominins.

The timing of their disappearance suggests that the arrival of modern humans may have played a role in their extinction.

"I think our species very likely was the culprit," said Professor Adam Brumm of Griffith University's Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, a co-author of the study.

"This isolated lineage of archaic hominins seems to have existed on Flores for an extremely long time, and then it disappears not long after Homo sapiens is known to have established a presence in the region."

The Mata Menge fossils, including the newly identified humerus, provide crucial evidence in understanding the evolutionary history of Homo floresiensis and the factors that led to their unique adaptations on Flores island.