Description
Haplogroup S (mtDNA) is a subclade of macro-haplogroup N found primarily in Australia, New Guinea, and Melanesia. It is one of the ancient founding mtDNA lineages of the Australian continent, alongside haplogroups M and other N sub-branches. S is distributed among Aboriginal Australians and Papuan peoples of New Guinea, representing over 40,000 years of continuous presence in the Sahul landmass. It is virtually absent from mainland Asian and European populations, reflecting the long genetic isolation of Australia and New Guinea after the initial peopling of the continent during the Out of Africa migration.
Interesting Fact
Haplogroup S, together with haplogroup P, is among the oldest unbroken maternal lineages in the world — Aboriginal Australians carrying these haplogroups are the direct maternal descendants of the first modern humans to have settled Australia over 50,000 years ago, without detectable gene flow from other regions until the modern era.
Distribution by Ethnicity
| Ethnic distribution | Region | Frequency | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aboriginal Australians | Australia | n=300 | |
| Papuans (New Guinea) | Melanesia | n=300 | |
| Melanesians | Pacific / Melanesia | n=300 |
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References
- van Holst Pellekaan et al. (2006) — Mitochondrial genomics identifies major haplogroups in Aboriginal Australians. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 131(2), 282–294.