| Race and global patterns of phenotypic variation. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 19226639 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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Phenotypic traits have been used for centuries for the purpose of racial classification. Developments in quantitative population genetics have allowed global comparison of patterns of phenotypic variation with patterns of variation in classical genetic markers and DNA markers. Human skin color shows a high degree of variation among geographic regions, typical of traits that show extensive natural selection. Even given this high level of geographic differentiation, skin color variation is clinal and is not well described by discrete racial categories. Craniometric traits show a level of among-region differentiation comparable to genetic markers, with high levels of variation within populations as well as a correlation between phenotypic and geographic distance. Craniometric variation is geographically structured, allowing high levels of classification accuracy when comparing crania from different parts of the world. Nonetheless, the boundaries in global variation are not abrupt and do not fit a strict view of the race concept; the number of races and the cutoffs used to define them are arbitrary. The race concept is at best a crude first-order approximation to the geographically structured phenotypic variation in the human species. |
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Authors:
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John H Relethford |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article |
Journal Detail:
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Title: American journal of physical anthropology Volume: 139 ISSN: 1096-8644 ISO Abbreviation: Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. Publication Date: 2009 May |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2009-04-20 Completed Date: 2009-07-16 Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 0400654 Medline TA: Am J Phys Anthropol Country: United States |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 16-22 Citation Subset: IM |
Copyright Information:
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2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. |
Affiliation:
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Department of Anthropology, State University of New York College at Oneonta, 13820, USA. relethjh@oneonta.edu |
Export Citation:
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APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Continental Population Groups
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classification*,
genetics* Genetic Variation* Genetics, Population / trends* Humans Phenotype* Skin Pigmentation / genetics Skull / anatomy & histology |
| Comments/Corrections | |
Comment In:
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Am J Phys Anthropol. 2009 May;139(1):1-4
[PMID:
19226646
]
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From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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