On the genetic interrelationships of South African Negroes

Abstract

This study addresses the comparative genetic interrelationships between South African Negro groups. For this the genetic distances between seven ethnically defined Negro subsamples (total of 998 individuals) based on 24 genetic loci/polymorphisms are calculated by applying standard distance formulae. These computations offer an opportunity to evaluate the different polymorphisms in terms of their effects on the genetic distances. The genetic interrelationships thus computed are illustrated by way of dendrograms and are discussed in terms of their comparative significance. It follows from the findings that the Ndebele, Northern Sotho (Pedi), and Tswana form a closely related subcluster and that the Zulu and Swazi as well as the Venda and Shangana-Tsonga form two additional, more distant, subclusters. These results are discussed and tentatively interpreted against the background of the reported Khoisan admixture of the populations concerned as well as their ethnological history. The data are also compared to those derived from metric and dermatoglyphic studies. It is concluded that whereas there is some agreement between these categories of variation (genetic, metric, and dermatoglyphic) as far as the comparative evaluation of South African Negro groups is concerned, there also are discrepancies. These conclusions need to be explained in terms of evolutionary mechanisms (such as historic origins, hybridization, natural selection, and genetic drift) in order to obtain a more consistent and comprehensive comparative picture of the physical anthropology of southern African populations.

A geometric morphometric approach to the quantification of population variation in sub‐Saharan African crania

“…The most extreme conformations of this morphology are found in the Khoisan, and lesser expressions are seen in southern Bantu-speaking populations. In their study of sub-Saharan African population genetics, Excoffier et al (1987) proposed that Khoisan peoples, who possessed local specificities, were supposed to have genetically influenced southern Bantu-speaking peoples (Hitzeroth, 1986;Jenkins, 1982;Jenkins et al, 1970). The Khoisan may have greatly influenced the morphology of some of southern African Bantu-speaking populations (Franklin et al, 2007) and in the present study finer details are clarified concerning these morphological contributions and the retention of highly distinctive traits in the Khoisan cranial form.…”

Geometric morphometric study of population variation in indigenous southern African crania

“…Based on genetic evidence, Hitzeroth (1986) proposed that the general gradient of Khoisan admixture with Bantu populations decreases from south to north across southern Africa. To confirm this proposition, the Bantu-Khoisan (pooled Khoikhoi and San) Procrustes distances were calculated (Table 2) and tested for correlation against the latitude of the approximate center of the territory known to have been occupied by each of the Bantu populations (Table 5).…”

“…In addition to the physical anthropological studies made on southern African populations, there have been a number of genetic distance studies (e.g., Jenkins et al, 1970;Jenkins, 1982;Hitzeroth, 1986). Of particular interest is the finding of a general north-south gradient of Bantu-Khoisan admixture, in which the southern Bantu show increased Khoisan accretions by way of hybridization.…”

Perceptual experience shapes our ability to categorize faces by national origin: A new other‐race effect

“…Accuracy for categorizing own‐ethnicity faces was no better than chance. However, it is not clear that the faces of Pedi and Tswana people are visually distinct, because they are part of the same larger Sotho ethnic group, and they are geographically located in close proximity to each other and are highly intermixed (Hitzeroth, ). We have identified typical faces of six nations in Study 1, which are visually distinct from each other and could be used to examine own‐nation face expertise through a national‐origins task.…”