Fossil discovery fills gap in Denisovan migration story
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Researchers in China identified Denisovan hominin fossils in Bat Cave, Yunnan province, extending the known range of this ancient human group.
A team led by Fu Qiaomei of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, successfully identified three ancient human fossils among over 60,000 bone fragments. They combined a “pre-screening” method based on bone shape with ZooMS, a rapid archaeological technique that identifies animal species from tiny samples.
This allowed them to efficiently locate the Denisovan remains. The team also analyzed two previously discovered ancient human teeth from the same site, confirming they too belonged to Denisovans. These fossils date from 167,000 to 134,000 years ago, filling a gap in the understanding of how Denisovans spread throughout Asia.
Genetic studies previously indicated that modern populations in Oceania carry a significant amount of Denisovan DNA, suggesting Southwest China was a crucial point in their migration toward Southeast Asia and Oceania. This discovery makes Bat Cave the site with the most Denisovan bone specimens discovered, after the original Denisova Cave in Siberia.
Analysis of a newly discovered radius bone revealed a unique combination of traits, showing similarities to both Neanderthals and modern humans, potentially indicating a distinct evolutionary path for the Denisovans. Researchers hope that future discoveries and analysis of ancient DNA will further illuminate the Denisovan’s role in the genetic history of modern populations.
