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Haplogroup O-M88

O-M88 (Mainland Southeast Asian Austroasiatic lineage)

Macro-haplogroup

Parent clade

O1b-F3651

Formed (estimate)

c. 12,000–16,000 years before present

TMRCA (estimate)

c. 3,000–5,000 years ago

Overview

O-M88 represents a major paternal lineage of mainland Southeast Asia, particularly associated with Austroasiatic and Kra-Dai groups. Its origins trace back to late Pleistocene or early Holocene populations inhabiting the Red River and Mekong basins. O-M88 played a major demographic role in forming Vietnamese, Khmer, and Lao paternal ancestry prior to later overlays from O2-derived lineages associated with Sino-Tibetan expansions.

Geographic distribution

Most common in Vietnam (Kinh, Muong), Cambodia (Khmer), Laos (Lao, Khmu), and parts of Thailand. Minor frequencies appear among southern Chinese populations and some hill tribes across the region.

Ancient DNA

Ancient DNA from Neolithic Vietnam and Laos shows ancestry upstream of M88.
M88 aligns with archaeological transitions involving early rice agriculture in mainland Southeast Asia.
The lineage reflects deep regional continuity predating large-scale O2 migrations from the north.

Phylogeny & subclades

M88 forms a sibling lineage to O1b1a2-M95 under O1b. It contains multiple regional subbranches characteristic of Vietnam and Cambodia.

O-M88*

Notes & context