A male Denisovan mandible from Pleistocene Taiwan

Takumi Tsutaya ^1,2, Rikai Sawafuji ^1,2,3, Alberto J Taurozzi ¹

¹Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
²Research Center for Integrative Evolutionary Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Kanagawa, Japan.
³Department of Environmental Changes, Faculty of Social and Cultural Studies, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
⁴Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
⁵School of Archaeology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
⁶Archaeobiomics, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
⁷Kitasato University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan.
⁸Institute for the Study of Ancient Civilizations and Cultural Resources, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa, Japan.
⁹Sapiens Life Sciences, Evolution and Medicine Research Center, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa, Japan.
¹⁰Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo.
¹¹Department of Life Science and Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
¹²Department of Geology, National Museum of Nature and Science, Tsukuba, Japan.
¹³The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
¹⁴Center of Science, National Museum of Natural Science, Taichung, Taiwan.
¹⁵Department of Life Science, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan.

⁰Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Clinical Neuroscience (new York, N.y.) +

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April 10, 2025

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Fossil analysis reveals Denisovans, an extinct human group, inhabited Taiwan. This finding expands the known geographic range of Denisovans beyond Siberia to include warm, humid regions in Asia.

Area Of Science

Paleoanthropology
Ancient DNA analysis
Human evolution

Background

Denisovans are an extinct hominin group known primarily from ancient genomes found in Siberia.
Genomic data suggested a wide distribution across East Asia and Oceania, but fossil evidence remained scarce.
Few fossils were molecularly identified as Denisovan, limiting understanding of their range and traits.

Purpose Of The Study

To identify the hominin mandible Penghu 1 from Taiwan using ancient protein analysis.
To determine if Penghu 1 belongs to the Denisovan group.
To expand the fossil record of Denisovans and understand their geographic distribution and physical characteristics.

Main Methods

Ancient protein analysis was applied to the Penghu 1 hominin mandible.
4,241 amino acid residues were retrieved from the fossil.
Denisovan-specific amino acid variants were identified and compared to known Denisovan genomes.

Main Results

The Penghu 1 mandible was identified as belonging to a male Denisovan.
Two Denisovan-specific amino acid variants were identified in the fossil.
The findings indicate Denisovans inhabited Taiwan, expanding their known range to warm, humid environments.

Conclusions

The fossil record of Denisovans is expanded, demonstrating their presence in Southeast Asia.
Denisovans exhibited a wider geographic distribution than previously confirmed by fossils.
Denisovans possessed distinct robust dentognathic traits, differentiating them from Neanderthals.