Homo heidelbergensis («Heidelberg Man») is an extinct, potentially distinct species of the genus Homo and may be the direct ancestor of Homo neanderthalensis in Europe. (sciencedaily.com)
Many researchers believe H. neanderthalensis arose as a separate species in Eurasia around 200,000 years ago and occupied a range stretching from Spain in the West to Central Asia in the East. (becominghuman.org)
To learn more about Homo neanderthalensis in general, go to the timeline found on this website, The Human Lineage Through Time. (becominghuman.org)