Human phylogenetic trees differ according to available data. In some, for example, Homo erectus is shown to be one of Homo sapien’s ancestors. Neanderthals are shown to be co-descendants with archaic Homo sapiens and as a dead end in the human phylogenetic tree. This would mean that they went extinct without contributing genes to modern humans. In other trees, Neanderthals are shown to have interbred with modern Homo sapiens. There are sources that claim that Homo erectus is the first hominid to display human characteristics, such as increased body size and skull size. However, others claim that Homo erectus is not different from Homo sapiens, which means that this taxon is invalid. They even claim that the distinction between the
