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Proteins and mitochondrial DNA identified the Harbin cranium as Denisovan

Mitochondrial DNA recovered from dental calculus clustered with early Denisovan lineages, while protein sequences from the cranium independently supported Denisovan affinity. Together the studies provide the first direct molecular link between a near-complete Middle Pleistocene skull and Denisovans.

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Stable ID
science-2025-harbin-cranium-denisovan
Revision
science-2025-harbin-cranium-denisovan.v1
Field
Human Evolution · Palaeogenomics and palaeoproteomics
Evidence
Tier 1 · Peer reviewed: Yes
Record state
Current · Two-method molecular identification
Last checked

AI role

No substantive AI role was reported.

Record details

Problem or result
Denisovans were known mainly from genomes and a small number of fragmentary fossils, leaving their cranial anatomy and the identity of several Asian fossils unresolved.
Authors
Qiaomei Fu, Peng Cao, Qingyan Dai et al.
Institutions
Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Richmond; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Hebei GEO University
Result date
June 18, 2025

Why it matters

A substantially complete cranium gives researchers a far richer anatomical candidate for Denisovans and connects Asian fossils to molecular lineages.

Limits

Mitochondrial DNA follows only the maternal lineage and is not a nuclear genome; species labels such as Homo longi remain debated. The skull's discovery history, possible population mixing and the limits of molecular affinity mean the result does not settle every morphological or taxonomic question.

Sources

  1. Primary: Cell mitochondrial-DNA paper
  2. Primary: Science proteome paper
  3. Independent: Nature specialist reporting
  4. Independent: Nature Ecology and Evolution commentary

Correction and revision history

  1. 2025-06-18 — Companion palaeoproteomic and mitochondrial-DNA identifications published.

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