Overview
Haplogroup S-M254 represents one of the two major paternal lineages associated with the earliest populations of Sahul, encompassing present-day New Guinea, Near Oceania and Australia. The lineage diverged from a broader K2b1 radiation during the Late Pleistocene and is strongly linked to early coastal dispersals into northern Sahul following its initial settlement around 45,000 to 50,000 years ago. S-M254 demonstrates substantial internal diversity, driven by long-term population fragmentation across the mountainous regions of New Guinea and the complex islands of Melanesia. Its separation from its sister lineage M-M186 captures a major bifurcation in early Papuan and Melanesian demographic history.
Geographic distribution
S-M254 shows its highest frequencies in Papua New Guinea, including Western Highlands, Enga, Chimbu and Morobe regions. It is also found throughout West Papua, the Bismarck Archipelago, the Solomon Islands and small island chains across Near Oceania. Australo-Melanesian communities in northern Australia show ancient forms of S lineages at low levels, reflecting very early Sahul dispersals. Outside Oceania, S-M254 is extremely rare, with occasional individuals observed in Indonesia or eastern Wallacean islands due to historical contact.
Ancient DNA
- Ancient individuals from the Ivane Valley and early highland New Guinea archaeological sites show autosomal ancestries consistent with early S-bearing populations.
- Lake Mungo and other early Australian Pleistocene remains likely belonged to paternal lineages related to S or its early sister clades in K2b1, although direct Y-DNA retrieval is limited.
- Late Holocene Papuan Highlands remains show continuity with modern S-M254 subclades, indicating long-term demographic stability in the interior regions.
Phylogeny & subclades
S-M254 divides primarily into S-P202 and S-P79 derived radiations. The S-P202 branch includes S-M230 and its numerous downstream subclades, which dominate the Papuan Highlands. S-P79 forms a distinct lineage with links to island Melanesia and northern Australian ancestry. The overall structure of S-M254 reflects repeated episodes of geographic isolation in mountainous and island environments.
- S-P202
- S-P79
- Unassigned S-M254* lineages
Notes & context
S-M254 is crucial for reconstructing the demographic history of early Sahul populations. Its structure captures tens of millennia of isolation in rugged highlands and island environments. The lineage provides one of the clearest genetic signatures of ancient Papuan and Melanesian ancestry.
References & external links