Haplogroup L (Y-DNA)

Archaeogenetics

See Also

• Haplogroups
• Haplotype?
• [Y chromosome analysis]?

Description

In human genetics, Haplogroup L (M20) is a Y-chromosome haplogroup.

This haplogroup is associated with India. It is a descendant haplogroup of haplogroup K, and is believed to have first appeared approximately 30,000 years ago.

Haplogroup L is believed to have been associated with the first significant settlement of India. Its arrival may explain a strange phenomenon: prior to the arrival of haplogroup L, the two haplogroups [Haplogroup C (Y-DNA)? C] and [Haplogroup D (Y-DNA)? D] were associated with a great expansion along the southern Asian coast. Today, C is relatively scarce in India, and D is absent. However, the mitochondrial lineages corresponding to the same coastal migration do not show similar declines.

One explanation is that the newcomers from haplotype L may have taken wives from the southern coastal populations (thus preserving the matrilineal line), while killing or driving away their menfolk (thus reducing the frequency of haplotypes C and D).

Links

• Spread of Haplogroup L from National Geographic

Attribution

• This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Haplogroup L (Y-DNA)".