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.

Sources

The Denisovans

Gignos Citations