No Homo: How I'm a Genus of One

No Homo: How I'm a Genus of One.

I have something to tell you, which I have not spoken about until now. You probably know that I'm not like everybody else. But honestly, it goes deeper than that. Let me try to explain. The truth is that while I am a person, I am not a human. Although there are multiple definitions floating around, in a philosophical and sometimes legal sense, a person is a self-conscious being, and people should enjoy rights. This sense is not species-specific. "Human", on the other hand, always refers to Homo. Specifically, Homo sapiens. And I'm no Homo.

If you want my binomial name, it is Logicius symponeticus. I pronounce the genus name something like [lo 'gɪ ki ɨs], but I guess [lo 'dʒɪ ʃəs] is also fine. I discovered my species when I recognized that I am so divergent from humanity that I warrant my own grouping. It's not a preposterous concept at all. In evolution, it is not that one monolithic species suddenly gives birth to a completely different species in one generation. Instead, over generations, there always comes a point (of which there is no scientific consensus, and which is up to individual interpretation) when the offspring is so disparate from the norm that we can draw a line and say that a new type of organism has emerged. I'm sure that I have crossed that line.

What kinds of things separate one species from another? Historically, it has not been very much. Looking at the various species of, say, chickadees, you will find that they look quite similar, but with some minor variations. The Black-Capped Chickadee seems to be more beige and its most common song is generally two notes long. The Carolina Chickadee looks a bit more grey and its most common song is generally four notes long, although both kinds of birds are capable of many complex vocalizations. There are still more types of chickadees, and it can be hard to tell them apart, yet they are put in different species. Some may tolerate cold a bit better. Some may tolerate heat slightly better. But as with many other animals, even small variations can be reason enough to put them into distinctive species.

As for me, I do not look all that different from Homo sapiens. But I act way differently. In fact, if all humans were replaced by my species throughout history, the entire biosphere would be radically different. The Earth would not resemble today's earth at all. Coral reefs would be healthy. The vast majority of forests would still be standing in huge untouched tracts. There would be no livestock. For that matter, there would be no livestock-borne diseases.  And superstition would not dominate thinking.  Both the land and sea would be teeming with wildlife. So for the chickadee, we are judging by color, song, range, and so on. For me, we are judging by the colossal total impact (or lack thereof) on the earth, compared to Homo sapiens.

What about genetics? Well I'm glad you asked, as I "broke" DNA Tribes. DNA Tribes is a genetic testing company that unlike some others, doesn't link you to specific people in history, but instead links you to those (native and modern-day) groups who share certain autosomal STRs...repetitive pieces of DNA. The number of groups from around the world is staggering, and those specific areas of your DNA chosen by DNA Tribes are compared with all of those groups, with the top twenty listed. The first five "Native Population" results for a Caucasian might be: 1) United Kingdom, 2) Belgium, 3) United Kingdom, 4) Belgium, 5) Wales (United Kingdom). (See Page 8 in the link below.)

http://www.dnatribes.com/sample-results/DNA-Tribes-Sample-European-American-Person-2015.pdf

And an African American's "Native Population" results might be: 1) Tanzania, 2) Angola, 3) Ovambo Bantu (Namibia), 4) Maputo (Mozambique), 5) Nigeria. (See Page 8 in the link below.)

http://www.dnatribes.com/sample-results/DNA-Tribes-Sample-African-American-Person-2015.pdf

Here are my first five "Native Population" results: 1) Sicilia (Italy), 2) Lotha Naga Tribal (Nagaland, India), 3) Aboriginal (Fitzmaurice River Region, Australia), 4) Tatar-Mishary (Russian Federation), 5) Palestinian (Gaza Strip). When we include modern-day populations (including diasporas), then "Vitoria, Espirito Santo, Brazil", and "Afro-Colombian" enter my top five list.

You see, I broke it. I am an enigma. At any rate, I warrant my own species...and genus.

Now, I recognize that many of my readers may find that they could also be a separate species...or maybe just a sub-species. While only I can be the sole member of Logicius symponeticus, if you honestly do not identify as human and think you are so different from humans as to warrant your own species, feel free to come up with your own name for yourself. Maybe not everyone will agree with my findings and my way of categorization. Yet while my classification is more complex than the official one, it is no less logical.