Haplogroup R2a is also known as haplogroup R-M124.[2] The first reference to the newly defined haplogroup, "R-M124", was on 25 August 2010.[4]
Before the publication of the 2005 Y-Chromosome Phylogenetic Tree, Haplogroup R-M124 was known as Haplogroup P1 and formerly thought to be a sister clade of Haplogroup R rather than derived from it.[5]
uncertainty neutralizes previous conclusions that the intrusion of HGs R1a1 and R2 [Now R-M124] from the northwest in Dravidian-speaking southern tribes is attributable to a single recent event. Rather, these HGs contain considerable demographic complexity, as implied by their high haplotype diversity. Specifically, they could have actually arrived in southern India from a southwestern Asian source region multiple times, with some episodes considerably earlier than others.
Y-chromosomes which are positive to the M124, P249, P267, and L266 SNPs and negative to the L295, L263, and L1069 SNPs, are categorized as belonging to Paragroup R-M124*. It is found in Iraq, so far.
Ancient samples of haplogroup R2a were observed in the remains of humans from Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Bronze Age Iran and Turan; and Iron Age South Asia. R2a was also recovered from excavated remains in the South Asian sites of Saidu Sharif and Butkara from a later period.[7]
South Asia
Frequency of R-M124 in Social and Linguistic Subgroups of Indian Populations (Source: Sengupta et al. 2006)
Tibeto-Burman
Austro-Asiatic
Dravidian
Indo-European
Tribe
5.75%
10.94%
5.00%
-
Lower Caste
-
-
13.79%
10.00%
Middle Caste
-
-
3.53%
18.75%
Upper Caste
-
-
10.17%
16.28%
Haplogroup R-M124, along with haplogroups H, L, R1a1, and J2, forms the majority of the South Asian male population. The frequency is around 10-15% in India and Sri Lanka and 7-8% in Pakistan. Its spread within South Asia is very extensive, ranging from Balochistan in the west to Bengal in the east; Hunza in the north to Sri Lanka in the south.
North Indian Muslims have a frequency of 19% (Sunni) and 13% (Shia),[14] while Dawoodi Bohra Muslim in the western state of Gujarat have a frequency of 16% and Mappila Muslims of South India have a frequency of 5%.[15]
The R2-M124 haplogroup occurs at a considerably higher rate in the northern regions of Afghanistan (11.4%).[17] Although the true percentage remains debated, the haplogroup is known to be at elevated levels in the Pamiri population (number ranges from 6-17% depending on the group). One study on Nuristanis shows a 20% frequency of R2 (1/5), albeit with a small sample size.[18]
Sri Lanka
38% of the Sinhalese of Sri Lanka were found to be R2 positive according to a 2003 research.[8]
Central Asia
In Kazakh tribes it varies from 1% to 12%, however it is found at a higher percent at about 25% among Tore Tribe / Genghis Khans descendant tribe.[19]
In Central Asia, Tajikistan shows Haplogroup R-M124 at 6%, while the other '-stan' states vary around 2%. Bartangis of Tajikistan have a high frequency of R-M124 at about 17%, Ishkashimi at 8%, Khojant at 9% and Dushanbe at 6%.
In a 2014 paper, R-M124 has been detected in 0.9% (1/110) of Han Chinese samples from China. The sample belonged to an individual from Jilin province.[22]
West Asia and North Africa
The haplogroup R-M124 frequency of 6.1% (6/114) was found among overall Kurds[23] while in one study which was done with 25 samples of Kurmanji Kurds from Georgia, R-M124 has been observed at 44% (11/25)[24]
In Caucasus high frequency was observed in Armenians from Sason at 17% (18/104)[25] while it was observed at %1 in Armenians from Van. R2 has been found in Chechens at 16%.[26] R-M124 has been found in approximately 8% (2/24) of a sample of Ossetians from Alagir.[27]
In Iran R-M124 follows a similar distribution as R1a1 with higher percentages in the southeastern Iran. It has been found at Frequencies of 9.1% at Isfahan, 6.9% at Hormozgan and 4.2% in Mazandaran.[34]
Thus, Haplogroup R-M124 has been observed among Arabs at low frequencies in 11 countries/territories (Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen) of the 22 Arab countries/territories so far.
In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia so far has one family identified to have Haplogroup R2A (R-M124) of its paternal genome or Y-Chromosome updated 5 January; 2018.
Frequency of Haplogroup R-M124 in the Arab World from DNA studies
^Van Oven M, Van Geystelen A, Kayser M, Decorte R, Larmuseau HD (2014). "Seeing the wood for the trees: a minimal reference phylogeny for the human Y chromosome". Human Mutation. 35 (2): 187–91. doi:10.1002/humu.22468. PMID24166809. S2CID23291764.
^K-M2313*, which as yet has no phylogenetic name, has been documented in two living individuals, who have ethnic ties to India and South East Asia. In addition, K-Y28299, which appears to be a primary branch of K-M2313, has been found in three living individuals from India. See: Poznik op. cit.; YFull YTree v5.08, 2017, "K-M2335", and; PhyloTree, 2017, "Details of the Y-SNP markers included in the minimal Y tree" (Access date of these pages: 9 December 2017)
^ Haplogroup S, as of 2017, is also known as K2b1a. (Previously the name Haplogroup S was assigned to K2b1a4.)
^ Haplogroup M, as of 2017, is also known as K2b1b. (Previously the name Haplogroup M was assigned to K2b1d.)
^ abKivisild, T.; et al. (2003), "The Genetic Heritage of the Earliest Settlers Persists Both in Indian Tribal and Caste Populations", The American Journal of Human Genetics, 72 (2): 313–32, doi:10.1086/346068, PMC379225, PMID12536373
^I. Nasidze, D. Quinque, I. Dupanloup et al., "Genetic Evidence Concerning the Origins of South and North Ossetians," Annals of Human Genetics (2004) 68, 588–599
^ abVincenza Battaglia, Simona Fornarino, Nadia Al-Zahery et al., "Y-chromosomal evidence of the cultural diffusion of agriculture in southeast Europe," European Journal of Human Genetics (2008), 1 – 11
^Ivan Nasidze, Dominique Quinque, Isabelle Dupanloup, Richard Cordaux, Lyudmila Kokshunova, and Mark Stoneking, "Genetic Evidence for the Mongolian Ancestry of Kalmyks," American Journal of Physical Anthropology 126:000–000 (2005).
