Long genetic and social isolation in Neanderthals before their extinction.
Slimak Ludovic, L Vimala, Tharsika T et al.
Publication Details
Comprehensive information about this research publication
Abstract
Summary of the research findings
Neanderthal genomes have been recovered from sites across Eurasia, painting an increasingly complex picture of their populations' structure that mostly indicates that late European Neanderthals belonged to a single metapopulation with no significant evidence of population structure. Here, we report the discovery of a late Neanderthal individual, nicknamed "Thorin," from Grotte Mandrin in Mediterranean France, and his genome. These dentognathic fossils, including a rare example of distomolars, are associated with a rich archeological record of Neanderthal final technological traditions in this region ∼50-42 thousand years ago. Thorin's genome reveals a relatively early divergence of ∼105 ka with other late Neanderthals. Thorin belonged to a population with a small group size that showed no genetic introgression with other known late European Neanderthals, revealing some 50 ka of genetic isolation of his lineage despite them living in neighboring regions. These results have important implications for resolving competing hypotheses about causes of the disappearance of the Neanderthals.
AI-Generated Summary
AI-generated by DNAGENICSIndependent AI summary of ancestry and genetic findings from the published study
Important: This summary is AI-generated by DNAGENICS for informational purposes only. It was not created by, affiliated with, or endorsed by the researchers behind the original publication, and is based solely on that published research. It may contain errors or omissions. DNAGENICS disclaims all liability for any inaccuracies or consequences arising from use of this information. Verify all information against the original publication. This is not professional scientific review or medical advice.