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Inbreeding avoidance in the Raute hunter-gatherers from Nepal.

Inez Derkx1,2,3, Gina Menn1, Begoña Dobon4

  • 1Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zürich8057, Switzerland.

Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|April 28, 2026
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cultural marriage rules help isolated hunter-gatherer groups, like Nepal

Keywords:
Rautehunter–gatherersinbreedinginbreeding avoidance

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Area of Science:

  • Human population genetics
  • Anthropology
  • Evolutionary biology

Background:

  • Inbreeding depression and loss of genetic diversity threaten small populations.
  • Hunter-gatherer groups use mobility and exogamy to avoid inbreeding.
  • The role of specific cultural systems in mitigating inbreeding risks is understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate inbreeding patterns and avoidance strategies in the Raute of Nepal.
  • Compare Raute strategies with Agta (Philippines) and Mbendjele BaYaka (Congo) hunter-gatherers.
  • Analyze the impact of the Raute's patrilineal clan-based exogamic marriage system on inbreeding.

Main Methods:

  • Genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data analysis.
  • Kinship analysis to assess genetic relatedness.
  • Population simulations to model inbreeding reduction under different mating systems.

Main Results:

  • All three hunter-gatherer populations exhibit elevated homozygosity and a preference for genetically dissimilar mates.
  • The Raute's patrilineal clan-based exogamy significantly reduces expected offspring inbreeding compared to random mating or avoiding only close kin.
  • Cultural marriage rules appear to be a compensatory strategy for demographic isolation.

Conclusions:

  • Social structure significantly influences genetic outcomes in small populations.
  • Cultural practices can evolve as adaptive mechanisms to mitigate the genetic risks associated with small population size.
  • The Raute's marriage system demonstrates the effectiveness of cultural adaptations in maintaining genetic health.