Description
R1b-V88 is the oldest and most diverged branch of R1b, representing a deep split from the European and Asian R1b lineages that took place during or before the Green Sahara period (~11,000–5,000 BCE). It is found at remarkably high frequencies in the Lake Chad basin, particularly among the Chadic-speaking peoples of northern Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad — including the Hausa (~40%), Fulani, Kanuri, and related groups. V88 is rare in Europe and almost absent from the Near East and Central Asia, suggesting it represents an ancient migration of R1b-carrying populations into North Africa via the Nile corridor or across the Sahara when it was green and habitable.
Interesting Fact
In the Lake Chad basin, R1b-V88 reaches frequencies of 60–95% among some Chadic-speaking groups — making it far more common in sub-Saharan Africa than anywhere in Europe, despite R1b being predominantly thought of as a European haplogroup. This remarkable distribution is a genetic signature of a migration across the once-green Sahara roughly 5,000–8,000 years ago.
Distribution by Ethnicity
| Ethnic distribution | Region | Frequency | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sara | Central Africa (Chad) | n=80 | |
| Kanuri | West Africa (Chad Basin) | n=100 | |
| Hausa | West Africa (Nigeria/Niger) | n=300 | |
| Fulani (Nigeria) | West Africa | n=200 | |
| Egyptians (Nile Valley) | North Africa | n=400 | |
| Berbers | North Africa | n=400 |
Tags
References
- Cruciani et al. (2010) — Human Y chromosome haplogroup R-V88: a paternal genetic record of early mid-Holocene trans-Saharan connections and the spread of Chadic languages. European Journal of Human Genetics 18(7), 800–807.
- Underhill & Kivisild (2007) — Use of Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA population structure in tracing human migrations. Annual Review of Genetics 41, 539–564.