Classifications

Homo denisovans

Name:
Homo denisovans
Parent:
Homo
Time periods:
Calabrian, Chibanian, Pleistocene
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Classification Tree

Ancestors

Homo denisovans

species

Children

Denisova Phalanx distalis (Denisova 3)

Denisova Phalanx distalis (Denisova 3)

Denisovans were an extinct species or subspecies of humans that lived in Asia during the Lower and Middle Paleolithic. There are few fossils described as Denisovans, most of what is known about them comes from DNA evidence. No formal species name has been established pending more complete fossil material.

The First Denisovan fossil was identified in 2010 through DNA analysis which was derived off of the study of mitochondrial DNA from a juvenile female finger bone. The same locality where this fossil was found also contained evidence of neanderthal occupation. It's unknown if the two types of humans ever cohabitated at the same time in this location. 

Denisovans might represent a new species of Homo or subspecies of sapiens, but there are too few fossils to erect a proper taxon. Proposed species names for Denisovans are Homo denisova or Homo altaiensis.

Sites

NameAge MinAge Max
Baishiya Karst Cave
Denisova Cave41590216900

Sources

This page was last edited on December 20, 2023 at 17:50:11 UTC