Description
Haplogroup O2a2 (M7) is a subclade of O2a found primarily in mainland Southeast Asia and southern China. It is particularly associated with Austroasiatic and Tai-Kadai-speaking populations of the region. O2a2 shows high frequencies among certain groups in southern China, Vietnam, and adjacent areas, reflecting its role in the demographic history of the transition zone between southern Chinese and mainland Southeast Asian populations.
Interesting Fact
O2a2 (M7) represents a distinct demographic signal within the broader O2a expansion — its carriers show a distribution skewed toward the mainland Southeast Asian lowlands and coastal South China, suggesting a population that spread primarily through river valley and coastal routes rather than the highland paths taken by some related O2 subclades.
Distribution by Ethnicity
| Ethnic distribution | Region | Frequency | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khmer | Southeast Asia | n=300 | |
| Zhuang (South China) | South China | n=300 | |
| Vietnamese | Southeast Asia | n=500 | |
| Dai (Yunnan) | South China | n=200 |
Tags
References
- Shi et al. (2005) — Y-chromosome evidence of earliest modern human settlement in East Asia. BMC Biology 3, 5.