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What should the lineage be called?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by ·Part of Which fossils are Denisovans, and so what did Denisovans look like?·4 answers·0·0 following
Most likely: homo longi, the first formal name given to a member of the lineageAhead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

Where it stands

Four answers have been proposed. Homo longi, the first formal name given to a member of the lineage. leads, with evidence 1 for: partly supported by its tests. Three are still possible.

Why it matters

Three names compete: the informal "Denisovans", Homo longi (2021) and Homo juluensis (2024)⁠[1]⁠[2]. If Harbin and Xujiayao are one lineage, the names overlap⁠[3].

Answers 4

Evidence: 1 for
Most likely
Evidence: 1 against
Disputed
Evidence: 1 for
Still possible
None of these.
Not tested enough to call either way
Evidence: none yet
Still possible

History

  1. Reich et al. puts forward: keep "Denisovans" as an informal population label without a species name.
  2. Slon et al.: denisovans interbred with Neanderthals and with modern humans.For: Keep "Denisovans" as an informal population label without a species name.
  3. Ji et al. puts forward: homo longi, the first formal name given to a member of the lineage.
  4. Bae & Wu puts forward: homo juluensis, for a large-brained Denisovan lineage distinct from H. longi.
  5. Xing et al.: harbin and Xujiayao are both Denisovan by molecules.For: Homo longi, the first formal name given to a member of the lineage.
  6. Xing et al.: both carry Denisovan variants; the 2026 study finds a shared morphology.Against: Homo juluensis, for a large-brained Denisovan lineage distinct from H. longi.
  7. Asked on this site
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