Haplogroup M, AKA M-P256 and Haplogroup K2b1b (previously K2b1d) is a Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup. M-P256 is a descendant haplogroup of Haplogroup K2b1, and is believed to have first appeared between 32,000 to 47,000 years ago. M-P256 is the most frequently occurring Y-chromosome haplogroup in West Papua and western Papua New Guinea. In addition, M-P256 is also found in neighboring parts of Melanesia, Indonesia and indigenous Australians.

Phylogenetic structure

This phylogenetic tree of haplogroup subclades is based primarily on the trees published by YCC in 2008 and ISOGG in 2016.

Distribution

M* (M-P256*)

The paragroup M-P256* is found at a low frequency in New Guinea (6.3%) and Flores (2.5%).

M1 (M-M4)

This group is found frequently in New Guinea and Melanesia, with a moderate distribution in neighboring parts of Indonesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. An extreme geographical outlier was apparently identified in a 2012 study, which reported a Hazara individual from Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan, with M1 (among a sample of 60 males from the mentioned area). The Hazara individual carried the SNP M186 (which is believed to be equivalent to M4).

M1a (M-P34)

M1a (M-P34) is the most frequently occurring Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup in Western New Guinea. It is also found with moderate frequency in neighboring parts of Indonesia (Maluku, Nusa Tenggara) and throughout Papua New Guinea, including offshore islands.

M1b (M-P87)

M1b M-P87(xM104/P22) has been found in approximately 18% (20/109) of a pool of samples from New Ireland, approximately 12% (5/43) of a sample of Lavongai from New Hanover, approximately 5% (19/395) of a pool of samples from New Britain (and, in particular, in about 24% (15/63) of Baining from East New Britain), in addition to one Saposa individual from northern Bougainville, and another individual from the north coast of Papua New Guinea. The subclade M1b1 (M104_1/P22_1, M104_2/P22_2) is found frequently in populations of the Bismarck Archipelago and Bougainville Island, with a moderate distribution in New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga, East Futuna, and Samoa.

M2 (M-M353)

M2 is found at a low frequency in Fiji and East Futuna. The subclade M2a (M-M177, also referred to as M-SRY9138) has been found in one Nasioi individual from the eastern coast of Bougainville and in one individual from Malaita Province of the Solomon Islands. Alternative names previously used within peer-reviewed literature for the M2a subclade are listed below.

M3 (M-P117)

M3 (P117, P118) is found frequently in populations of New Britain, and is also observed occasionally in northern Bougainville, Fiji, and East Futuna.

Previous phylogenetic history

Prior to 2002, at least seven different naming systems for the Y chromosome phylogenetic tree were used within academic literature, leading to considerable confusion. To resolve this, in 2002, major research groups collaborated to form the Y-Chromosome Consortium (YCC). This resulted in a joint paper publication that contained a single new tree as a standard to use by the scientific community. Later, another group of scientists with an interest in population genetics and genetic genealogy worked to continually improve the naming system. The table below brings together the nomenclature used in Haplogroup M studies, prior to the landmark 2002 YCC Tree, enabling researchers reviewing older literature to quickly convert between the different nomenclatures that were in use. The following research teams per their publications were represented in the creation of the YCC Tree. • α and • β • γ • δ • ε • ζ • η Karafet's 2008 paper introduced a number of changes, compared to the previous 2006 ISOGG tree. Before the discovery of the P256 marker, the current subgroup M-M4 (defined by the M4 marker) previously represented the whole of Haplogroup M-P256; and subgroups M2 and M3 were formerly classed as subgroups K1 and K7 of the parent Haplogroup K.

Sources for conversion tables