Clear detective work involving research on both ancient DNA and cave painting from last ice age has revealed a previously unknown species of a hybrid species of bison and cattle in great details on cave walls more than 15,000 years ago.

Researchers initially nicknamed the new found bison the "Higgs Bison" because of its elusive nature. The bison's very existence took about 15 years that piece together data and proves its existence.

Australian Center for Ancient DNA(ACAD) publish a report in Nature communication that has revealed the mystery species is the hybrid of the Steppe Bison that flourished in the cold grasslands from Mexico to Europe which is the extinct ancestor of modern - day cattle. The hybrid, which lives in protected reserves such as the Bialowieza forests between Poland and Belarus, became the ancestor to today's European bison.

The researchers were surprised to discover a hybridization event because this does not often happen in mammals. Based on radiocarbon data it proved that the mystery species enjoyed dominating Europe at several points of time, reported by Tech Times.

According to the Professor Alan Cooper, ACAD Director, there were two bison forms distinguishable from art in caves during the Ice age. When the periods the bison species appeared in cave paintings were compared to the time they were in dominance, there was a match.

Based on the cave painting, ancient European depicts two types of bison: one with short horns, a small hump, and robust forequarters, and other with long horns and big humps. The former is more common in cave art painted more than 22,000 years ago, while the latter emerges about 17,000 years ago, reported by New Scientists.

The international researchers' team across from Europe and Russia identified the unknown species from cave painting over 15,000 years ago. The member from the team never guessed the cave artist helpfully painted pictures of both species over 15,000 years ago.

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