> Neanderthals are a distinct species

"Species" and "genus" are human (hey-o) concepts that we impose on the natural world to try and understand it, and ultimately this depends on who you ask.

Neanderthals are considered archaich humans, they were humans. Homo sapiens are modern humans.

I guess it can be argued that early archaich humans can barely be considered humans, but neanderthals were close enough to sapiens to interbred.