True or false: H. heidelbergensis exhibits highly variable morphological traits.

Homo heidelbergensis is indeed recognized for exhibiting highly variable morphological traits. This species, which lived approximately 600,000 to 200,000 years ago, is thought to be a common ancestor of modern humans as well as the Neanderthals. The variability in traits can be attributed to several factors, including geographical distribution and adaptation to different environments. Variability in skull shape, body size, and other physical characteristics can be observed among fossil remains found in diverse locations across Africa and Europe, indicating that different populations adapted to varying ecological niches.

This significant morphological variability across the species provides key insights into the evolutionary processes and adaptations to fluctuating climates and environments that our early ancestors faced. Understanding this variability helps to illuminate the evolutionary narrative leading to modern humans and other hominins.