Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 77 (3): 539-546, 2004
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Origin and microdifferentiation of the human Chiloé Archipelago population
The cultural diversity of Chiloé archipelago’s population raises questions about its ethnic
origin. To determinate whether this population forms a distinct genetic-cultural entity in relation to continental groups, four populations
were characterized genetically. Gene frequencies for the four Amerindian mitochondrial DNA haplogroups were analyzed. The studied
groups exhibit an important aboriginal maternal genetic contribution since over 90 % of the individuals analyzed presented Amerindian
mtDNA haplogroups. Although the genetic distance analysis indicates a north-south segregation, in agreement with ethnohistoric
information, a relationship between groups of the Northern part of the archipelago with the Huilliche population is observed.
Nevertheless, the exact test of population differentiation and the principal component analysis indicate a singularity in the insular group
which can be explained combining genetic, ethnohistoric and archeological data.
Key words:
Chiloé, ethnic diversity,
human genetic diversity, mitochondrial DNA.
