Himalayan ‘yeti’ DNA: polar bear or DNA degradation? A comment on ‘Genetic analysis of hair samples attributed to yeti’ by Sykes
            <i>et al</i>
            . (2014)

Edwards, Ceiridwen J.; Barnett, Ross

doi:10.1098/rspb.2014.1712

Cited by 3 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…[ 37 ] suggested that a previously unrecognized bear species or possibly a hybrid between brown bear and polar bear exists in the Himalayas. However, as also demonstrated by others [ 39 , 40 ], the short 12S rRNA gene fragment is insufficiently informative to determine precise taxonomic identity, particularly among closely related species, although it can be a useful screening marker to assess preliminary species affinities. We isolated DNA and assembled a complete mitogenome from a hair sample (collected in Ladakh, India, and named ‘YHB’ in this study), which based on their shared collection locality and other anecdotal evidence obtained from Icon Films, our sample source, may come from the same specimen that Sykes et al [ 37 ] speculated represents an unknown or hybrid bear.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Based on a short fragment of the mtDNA 12S rRNA gene from two samples collected in Ladakh, India and Bhutan, respectively, and a 100% match to a sequence recovered from a subfossil polar bear [ 38 ], Sykes et al [ 37 ] speculated that an unclassified bear species or hybrid of polar bear and brown bear might be present in the Tibetan Plateau–Himalaya region. However, this speculation was critiqued by others [ 39 , 40 ], and their phylogenetic analyses using the sequences from Sykes et al and other available Ursidae sequences did not rule out the possibility that the samples belonged to brown bear. Thus, to get accurate species identification, comprehensive phylogenetic analyses using genetic information from more variable and informative loci are needed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evolutionary history of enigmatic bears in the Tibetan Plateau–Himalaya region and the identity of the yeti

et al. 2017

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Although anecdotally associated with local bears (Ursus arctos and U. thibetanus), the exact identity of ‘hominid’-like creatures important to folklore and mythology in the Tibetan Plateau–Himalaya region is still surrounded by mystery. Recently, two purported yeti samples from the Himalayas showed genetic affinity with an ancient polar bear, suggesting they may be from previously unrecognized, possibly hybrid, bear species, but this preliminary finding has been under question. We conducted a comprehensive genetic survey of field-collected and museum specimens to explore their identity and ultimately infer the evolutionary history of bears in the region. Phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial DNA sequences determined clade affinities of the purported yeti samples in this study, strongly supporting the biological basis of the yeti legend to be local, extant bears. Complete mitochondrial genomes were assembled for Himalayan brown bear (U. a. isabellinus) and black bear (U. t. laniger) for the first time. Our results demonstrate that the Himalayan brown bear is one of the first-branching clades within the brown bear lineage, while Tibetan brown bears diverged much later. The estimated times of divergence of the Tibetan Plateau and Himalayan bear lineages overlap with Middle to Late Pleistocene glaciation events, suggesting that extant bears in the region are likely descendants of populations that survived in local refugia during the Pleistocene glaciations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary history of enigmatic bears in the Tibetan Plateau–Himalaya region and the identity of the yeti

et al. 2017

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“…However, in the absence of modern revisionary work delimiting subspecies of Ursus arctos , we consider it appropriate to refer to Himalayan populations of the Brown Bear simply as Ursus arctos , and to take the opportunity to call the attention of the community of mammalian systematists to the need for such studies. In their study, Edwards and Barnett (2015) also demonstrated that the focal 104-bp long sequences do not match a homologous fragment of ancient Ursus maritimus , as asserted by Sykes et al (2014) , but rather that of a recent sample of that species, from Diomede, Little Diomede Island, Alaska (GenBank accession number GU573490 ). In addition, these authors suggested that the sequences produced by Sykes et al (2014) could have resulted from artifacts due to the use of degraded DNA obtained from samples that were not freshly preserved, but Melton et al (2015) consider this possibility unlikely.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Based on different methods, Edwards and Barnett (2015) have recently concluded that the focal sequences most likely belong to Ursus arctos isabellinus . However, in the absence of modern revisionary work delimiting subspecies of Ursus arctos , we consider it appropriate to refer to Himalayan populations of the Brown Bear simply as Ursus arctos , and to take the opportunity to call the attention of the community of mammalian systematists to the need for such studies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…More documentation concerning the origin and subsequent history of the other sample, stated by the authors as having been “a nest of a migyhur, the Bhutanese equivalent of the yeti” would also be helpful. According to Edwards and Barnett (2015) , rather than this sample being represented by a “nest”, it consisted only of a single hair. Although Sykes et al take the accuracy of the stated locations for origination of the supposedly Himalayan bear hairs for granted, they reported certain tested samples from Russia as being from an American Black Bear ( Ursus americanus ) and a North American Raccoon ( Procyon lotor ), “even though they are native to North America”.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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No need to replace an “anomalous” primate (Primates) with an “anomalous” bear (Carnivora, Ursidae)

Gutiérrez¹,

Pine

2015

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By means of mitochondrial 12S rRNA sequencing of putative “yeti”, “bigfoot”, and other “anomalous primate” hair samples, a recent study concluded that two samples, presented as from the Himalayas, do not belong to an “anomalous primate”, but to an unknown, anomalous type of ursid. That is, that they match 12S rRNA sequences of a fossil Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus), but neither of modern Polar Bears, nor of Brown Bears (Ursus arctos), the closest relative of Polar Bears, and one that occurs today in the Himalayas. We have undertaken direct comparison of sequences; replication of the original comparative study; inference of phylogenetic relationships of the two samples with respect to those from all extant species of Ursidae (except for the Giant Panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and two extinct Pleistocene species; and application of a non-tree-based population aggregation approach for species diagnosis and identification. Our results demonstrate that the very short fragment of the 12S rRNA gene sequenced by Sykes et al. is not sufficiently informative to support the hypotheses provided by these authors with respect to the taxonomic identity of the individuals from which these sequences were obtained. We have concluded that there is no reason to believe that the two samples came from anything other than Brown Bears. These analyses afforded an opportunity to test the monophyly of morphologically defined species and to comment on both their phylogenetic relationships and future efforts necessary to advance our understanding of ursid systematics.

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Eye contact boosts the reflexive component of overt gaze following

Dalmaso

Alessi

Castelli

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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Establishing eye contact with an individual can subsequently lead to a stronger gaze-mediated orienting effect. However, studies exploring this phenomenon have, so far, only assessed manual responses and focused on covert attention -namely, without eye movements. Here, in two experiments, we explored for the first time whether eye contact can also impact on overt attention in an oculomotor task. This approach has two main advantages, in that it relies on more sensitive, online measures of attention allocation and it better mimics real life settings. Participants performed leftwards and rightwards eye movements in response to a central cue. Furthermore, a task-irrelevant central face established -or not -eye contact with the participant, and then averted its gaze either leftwards or rightwards. Hence, eye movement direction was either congruent or incongruent with that of the gaze stimulus. In both experiments, a gaze following behaviour emerged -specifically, smaller saccadic latencies and a greater accuracy emerged on congruent than on incongruent trials -but its magnitude was not modulated by eye contact. However, in Experiment 2 -in which the different eye contact conditions were presented intermixed rather than blocked, thus making eye contact contextually salient -eye contact led to an overall decrement of saccadic latencies and enhanced the reflexive component of gaze following. Taken together, these results provide novel evidence indicating that eye contact can impact on both eye movements programming and overt gaze following mechanisms, at least when eye contact is made contextually salient.

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Himalayan ‘yeti’ DNA: polar bear or DNA degradation? A comment on ‘Genetic analysis of hair samples attributed to yeti’ by Sykes et al . (2014)

Cited by 3 publications

References 14 publications

Evolutionary history of enigmatic bears in the Tibetan Plateau–Himalaya region and the identity of the yeti

Evolutionary history of enigmatic bears in the Tibetan Plateau–Himalaya region and the identity of the yeti

No need to replace an “anomalous” primate (Primates) with an “anomalous” bear (Carnivora, Ursidae)

Eye contact boosts the reflexive component of overt gaze following

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