According to an analysis of ancient proteins, the 190,000-10,000 fossil mandibles found in the Taiwanese Pengu Channel in the 2000s belonged to male Denisovan. The findings provide direct evidence that Denisovan occupied a diverse climate, from the cold Siberian mountains to the warm, humid subtropical latitudes of Taiwan.
The concept of artist Peng Denisovan walking under the bright sun during the Pleistocene of Taiwan. Image credit: Cheng-Han Sun.
“Recent discoveries and reanalysis of fossil specimens, along with the application of molecular technology and new dating methods, revealed unexpected diversity among the archaic Hymonin of mid- to late Pleistocene East Asia before the arrival of modern humans.”
“Identifying Denisovan is an important example of such advances.”
“Denisovan was recognized as a group of humankinds that differ from Neanderthals and modern humans by analyzing fragmentary bone and teeth DNA excavated from Denisova Caves in the Altai Mountains of Siberia.”
“Their nuclear genome shows that Denisovan formed its own clade as a sister group of Neanderthals, forming a calculated genome difference between the two clades that occurred more than 400,000 years ago.”
“Genetic evidence also shows the flow of genes between Denisovans, modern people, and Neanderthals.”
“Studies of incorporated denisova DNA in modern human populations suggest the existence of multiple genomically distinct denisova populations, once distributed across Asia in the eastern part of the continent and perhaps part of the islands Southeast Asia.”
“However, outside the Denisova caves, direct molecular evidence of Denisovan has been found only from a single site on the Tibetan Plateau.”
“In Baishiya Karst Cave in Xiahe, the mandible and rib bone are identified as denisovan based on protein sequence.”
With label Penguo 1New Denisovan fossils were collected in the 2000s through drage activities related to commercial fishing from the seabed (60-120 m) about 25 km from Taiwan’s west coast.
The area is located 4,000 km southeast of Denisova’s Caves and 2,000 km southeast of Baishayakarst Caves.
It was part of the Asian mainland during the low sea level episodes of Pleistocene.
“Penghu 1 is under 450,000 years old, with the most likely age range from 10,000 to 70,000 or 130,000 to 190,000 years old, depending on the content of trace elements, biostratigraphic evidence, and past changes in sea level,” the researchers said.
“Direct uranium dating of Penghu 1 failed due to the effects of uranium from seawater.”
Using ancient proteomic analysis, Dr. Tsutaya and his colleagues extracted proteins from bone and dental enamel from the fossils, recovering 4,241 amino acid residues.
These variants are rare in modern human populations, but are more common in areas associated with the genetic temptation of Denisovan.
Furthermore, morphological analysis of Penghu 1 reveals a robust jaw structure with large molars and distinctive root structures. This is a feature consistent with the properties found in Tibetan Denisovan specimens, suggesting that these properties are lineage and possibly gender characteristics.
“It is clear that two contrasting groups of Hymonin – the small-tooth Neanderthal with tall but flexible mandibles and the low but robust mandible (as a population or as a male character) coexist during the late mid- and early Pleistocene Eurasia,” the scientists said.
“The latter form is rare or absent in neonatal fossils from Africa and Eurasia, and is therefore not a primitive retention that is likely developed or enhanced, as it was probably developed or enhanced in Deniso Banklade, after genetic separation from Neanderthals more than 400,000 years ago.”
“Recent discoveries of the island from Southeast Asia (Homo Flores Ensis and Homo Lusonensis) and South AfricaHomona Lady) highlights the diverse evolution of the genus Homoin contrast to the strain Homo sapiens. ”
“The Dentgrat morphology of Dennisovan can be interpreted as another such distinct evolution that took place in our genus.”
result It was published in the journal today Science.
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Takumi Tsutaya et al. 2025. Mandible Denisovan from Pleistocene Taiwan. Science 388 (6743): 176-180; doi: 10.1126/science.ads3888
Source: www.sci.news
