Jawbone from Taiwan shows geographic reach of enigmatic archaic humans

Will Dunham - Reuters - 10/04
Molecular analysis has determined that a jawbone recovered off Taiwan's coast came from a Denisovan, showing that this enigmatic lineage of archaic humans once inhabited a vast expanse in eastern Eurasia in environments ranging from cold and arid to warm and humid.
  • Denisovans are considered a sister group to Neanderthals
  • Mandible fossil was dredged from Penghu Channel seafloor
  • Denisovans thrived in multiple different environments
April 10 (Reuters) - Molecular analysis has determined that a jawbone recovered off Taiwan's coast came from a Denisovan, showing that this enigmatic lineage of archaic humans once inhabited a vast expanse in eastern Eurasia in environments ranging from cold and arid to warm and humid.
Scientists were unable to extract DNA from the fossil - part of the lower jaw, with five teeth attached - but identified two protein variants present in the remains that they knew were specific to Denisovans, rather than either Neanderthals or our species Homo sapiens, based on previously studied fossils.

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Protein fragments in the dental enamel of the fossil related to the Y-chromosome, showing that the individual was male.
Determining the age of the fossil has been difficult, as the researchers were unable to use traditional dating methods. They estimate that it is either 10,000 to 70,000 years old or 130,000 to 190,000 years old, based on animal fossils associated with its discovery. That means there is a chance it is the youngest-known fossil of a Denisovan individual.
The mandible, along with various animal fossils, was retrieved from the seafl...
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