seriously, I've always looked at chimps, and particularly orangutans, in much the way this creature is described. Not as far removed from us as zoologists would imply, certainly deserving of more respect than to be put on exhibit in a zoo.
Yeah, hopefully not with the rishathra. Although there seems to be plenty of speculation that that occured with the neandertals.
There's another thread somewhere the last day or so that describes eyewitness behavior of these things, they supposedly could speak. Actually, the skull looks fairly human, although the cheekbones and zygomatic arch are heavier and the cranial dome seems a bit lower. The width is apparently greater in relation to height than that of our own. I wonder how the brain relates in terms of relative size compared to body size to that of homo sapiens.