There is a tooth in a cave in the Annamite Mountains. It is possible that that tooth is from a mysterious species of human, and of which few remains are known to exist.
The tooth derives from a young, likely female, Homo individual, according to a new study.
The researchers say that the tooth is most likely a Denisovan.
An analysis of a child's finger bone found in a Siberia cave in 2008 determined that it was not a fit for any known human species.
Denisovans and Neanderthals share close genetic similarities, from what we can tell from samples dating back 200,000 years ago.
Finding specimen has been very difficult. Six teeth and bones have been found in a cave in Siberia, while one partial mandible has been found in a cave in China.
The discovery of a Denisovan tooth from far south of the caves of Siberia is very exciting for researchers.
The team writes in their new paper that the tooth from the 2 Cave in Laotian provides direct evidence of a most likely Denisovan female.
This region was home to at least five late Middle to Late Pleistocene species of Homo, and this discovery further attests that.
The team believes that the tooth is from a child between 3.5 and 8.5 years old because it shows no signs of being worn. The tooth was dated to between 163 and 131 thousand years old.
It is not easy to confirm that ancient single teeth are Denisovans. The tropical conditions that destroyed any trace of ancient DNA made it difficult for the team to sample for it.
The team are pretty sure that it is Denisovan, although it could also be from a Neanderthal. We need more analysis to confirm one way or the other.
The tooth is the most Neanderthal fossil ever discovered, because of the differences from Neanderthals that we observe.
The most parsimonious hypothesis is that the Denisovan specimen from the Chinese cave Xiahe has the same morpho-dimensional similarities as the TNH2-1.
The research has been published.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
