Overview
Q-L804 is a downstream branch of Q-L472 that is strongly associated with northeast Siberian populations. It contributes to the paternal background of Yakut and related groups in the Lena basin and adjacent regions. The clade likely arose in a Holocene population that exploited riverine and taiga resources and later became involved in the expansion of pastoral and semi nomadic communities in eastern Siberia. Because L804 is rare globally but structured in northern Eurasia, it is a valuable marker for tracing movements and admixture involving Yakut and neighboring peoples.
Geographic distribution
Modern instances of Q-L804 are most common in Yakutia and among populations of the middle and upper Lena basin. It has also been reported at low levels in Evenk and Dolgan groups, and in northern Russian individuals who show genetic evidence of Siberian ancestry. Outside northeastern Siberia, Q-L804 is extremely rare, with only scattered occurrences documented in Europe and North America, typically reflecting recent migration.
Ancient DNA
- The formation age of Q-L804 overlaps with the Holocene repopulation of northeastern Siberia after glacial retreat, when forager groups settled river corridors such as the Lena and Aldan.
- Ancient DNA from the region documents continuity between Mesolithic and later populations in northeastern Siberia, and Q-L804 likely emerged within this long standing regional genetic background.
- Later historical sources describe movements of Turkic speaking Yakut groups northward into taiga zones, where they admixed with or replaced earlier Paleo Siberian populations. Q-L804 bearing lines may have been among the paternal lineages that participated in this expansion.
Phylogeny & subclades
YFull places Q-L804 under Q-L472 as part of a small but distinct northern cluster. Within Q-L804, several microclades correspond to Yakut and related communities. The topology shows a relatively deep root followed by multiple shallow branches, a pattern consistent with a lineage that remained rare for much of its history and then expanded in a specific ethnolinguistic group.
- Q-L804* (northeast Siberian basal lines)
- Yakut focused microclades under L804
- Minor branches in Evenk and Dolgan related populations
Notes & context
Q-L804 is one of the clearest examples of a Q1b lineage that has become closely tied to a northeast Siberian population. Its internal structure helps distinguish Yakut related paternal lines from other Q branches in Central Asia and the Volga Ural region. In a Y DNA atlas, L804 provides important resolution for the northern edge of the Q distribution.
References & external links