Ancient DNA identifies 146,000 year-old 'Dragon Man' as a Denisovan

Key Points:

• The nearly complete Harbin skull, known as "Dragon Man" and dated to at least 146,000 years ago, has been identified as belonging to the Denisovan lineage through analysis of ancient mitochondrial DNA from dental plaque and proteins from skull bone.
• Two independent molecular studies, published in Cell and Science, provided complementary evidence linking the skull's anatomy with Denisovans, a human lineage previously known mainly from fragmentary remains.
• The mitochondrial DNA recovered from hardened dental calculus matched Denisovan sequences, while protein analysis from the petrous bone further confirmed the skull's Denisovan identity with high statistical support.
• The Harbin fossil offers a valuable anatomical reference for Denisovans in northeastern China, expanding the known geographic range of this lineage and aiding future identification of related fossils across Asia.
• Although the skull's molecular identity as Denisovan is clear, taxonomic classification remains unresolved due to ongoing debates about Denisovan and Neanderthal species status and the potential priority of species names like Homo longi.