The Zuni Indians of west‐central New Mexico have been relatively isolated since their foundation by an amalgamation of individuals from different southwestern cultural areas during the Regressive Pueblo period (c.1200–1350 A.D.). Genetic analysis revealed a high frequency of blood type B in both young (0.06) and old (0.05) Zuni, but at 14 other blood group and serum protein loci, allelic frequencies including A (0.011) and Rh negative (0.001) were generally similar to those of other relatively unmixed southwestern Indian tribes. Consideration of Zuni history and demography since Spanish contact in 1540, together with genetic analyses, suggest that the high B frequency probably derives from intermixture with a small number of B, Rh positive non‐Indians in the early post contact period. Genetic differentiation among four southwestern tribes, Zuni, Pima, Papago and Maricopa, was summarized by kinship analysis. Approximately 70% of the inter‐tribal genetic variation could be explained by the geographic distances among these groups showing that isolation by distance has been the most important factor in determining the pattern of regional genetic differentiation.
Non-directional asymmetry of paired organs is attributed to developmental ‘noise’. The level of asymmetry is inversely correlated to the degree of developmental stability. Children affected with familial cleft lip ± cleft palate have an increased asymmetry of their dermatoglyphics and molar teeth. The action of polygenes with a quasi-continuous distribution is consistent with this observation.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.