No, “cavemen” and Neanderthals are not the same thing. “Caveman” is a slang term, not a scientific one. This is a general nickname, not a species. It can refer to any prehistoric humans who lived in caves, including Neanderthals, Early Homo sapiens (modern humans), Homo erectus, Denisovans. Any prehistoric group that used caves for shelter Neanderthals had a range of skin tones. Genetic studies of Neanderthal DNA show that they likely had medium-brown skin in many populations. Some individuals had genes for lighter skin and red hair, but not all. Others had dark complexions. Their appearance varied by region, just like modern humans. Neanderthals lived in Ice Age Europe, so many imagine them as pale-skinned northern Europeans.Neanderthals existed for hundreds of thousands of years. They occupied regions from Spain to the Middle East. Different climates equals different skin adaptations eg melatonin.