Denisovanos

Denisovans are an extinct group of archaic humans identified primarily from genetic evidence recovered from fossils found in Denisova Cave in the Altai Mountains of Siberia, Russia. The discovery began in 2008 with a finger bone fragment, and genetic analysis published in 2010 showed a distinct lineage related to Neanderthals but more distant from modern humans, leading researchers to name the population after the cave.

Fossils attributed to Denisovans include a finger bone (the well-known Denisova 3), additional bone fragments, and a molar. The material is sparse, and dating places Denisovans in the late Middle to late Pleistocene; the fragmentary record limits detailed reconstruction of their appearance, but genetic data provide substantial insights into their relationships with Neanderthals and modern humans.

Genomic analyses indicate Denisovans diverged from the lineage leading to Neanderthals around several hundred thousand years ago, and that they later contributed genetic material to some modern human populations. Modern populations with Denisovan ancestry include Melanesians, Aboriginal Australians, and some East and Southeast Asian groups, though the proportion of Denisovan DNA varies by population.

The Denisovan lineage is generally considered a distinct archaic human population rather than a separate species, known primarily from a limited fossil record and extensive DNA data. Ongoing research aims to uncover additional fossils and to clarify the morphology, geographic range, and behavioral traits of Denisovans, as well as the extent and timing of their interactions with Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans.