The so-called Nesher Ramla Homo lived in the Levant until about 130,000 years ago, the Tel Aviv University announced on Thursday.

Remains of the prehistoric man were found near Ramla near Tel Aviv.

The newly discovered type dates back to the middle Pleistocene era.

It shows similarities with the remains of other prehistoric humans found in Israel and Eurasia, who lived about 400,000 years ago.

Anthropology professor Israel Hershkovitz from Tel Aviv University said that the discovery of the Nesher Ramla Homo type challenges the prevailing hypothesis that the Neanderthals originated in Europe.

"Our findings imply that the famous Neanderthals of western Europe are only the remnants of a much larger population that lived here in the Levant - and not the other way around," he said.

The bone find suggests that two groups of prehistoric humans lived side-by-side in the Levant for more than 100,000 years.

They would have shared knowledge and tool technology.

The Nesher Ramla Homo lived in the region from 400,000 years ago and Homo sapiens came later, about 200,000 years ago.

Later finds indicated that the two groups had also intermingled.

Nesher Ramla combines characteristics of Neanderthal man, especially teeth and jaws, and early humans, especially the skull.

At the same time, he is very different from modern humans - he has a completely different skull structure, no chin and very large teeth.

It is seen as the so-called "missing" species that Homo sapiens mated with when they came to the region.

Anthropologists, medical doctors and archaeologists from Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem were involved in the discovery.

Hershkovitz said the discovery of the previously unknown prehistoric man was "of great scientific importance".

Australian Associated Press