Neanderthals: Red Hair Discovered in Ancient Species

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A variant of the MC1R gene found in Neanderthals has been linked to red hair, a trait not present in modern humans. This discovery suggests that Neanderthals may have had varying pigmentation, similar to that of contemporary redheads. The research, led by Carles Lalueza-Fox from the University of Barcelona, highlights the genetic differences between Neanderthals and modern humans. The findings contribute to the understanding of Neanderthal appearance and genetics. This study underscores the complexity of Neanderthal traits and their relationship to human ancestry.
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..."We found a variant of MC1R in Neanderthals which is not present in modern humans, but which causes an effect on the hair similar to that seen in modern redheads," said lead author Carles Lalueza-Fox, assistant professor in genetics at the University of Barcelona. [continued]
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7062415.stm
 
Biology news on Phys.org
reference:

Carles Lalueza-Fox, Holger Römpler, David Caramelli, Claudia Stäubert, Giulio Catalano, David Hughes, Nadin Rohland, Elena Pilli, Laura Longo, Silvana Condemi, Marco de la Rasilla, Javier Fortea, Antonio Rosas, Mark Stoneking, Torsten Schöneberg, Jaume Bertranpetit, and Michael Hofreiter
A Melanocortin 1 Receptor Allele Suggests Varying Pigmentation Among Neanderthals.
(25 October 2007) Science.
 

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