New Species of Bovine Discovered in Denisova Cave

Researchers have identified a previously unknown extinct species of bovine, known as yak X, from DNA in Denisova cave in Siberia. The species likely diverged from the wild yak around 400,000 years ago and became extinct by around 30,000 years ago. The discovery was made by studying bone fragments recovered from the cave, which also contained DNA that didn't match any living bovine species. The team constructed genomes from 20 individuals and found that yak X was genetically isolated by 250,000 years ago. The species may have been less adapted to extreme mountain environments, and it is likely that Denisovans, Neanderthals, and modern humans hunted them as prey.