Y-chromosomal STR haplotypes in two endogamous tribal populations of Karnataka, India.

POPULATION: Approximately 5.0 mL of blood sample was collected from a total of 150 men belonging to two tribal populations of coastal Uttar Kannada district of Karnataka, with their informed written consent. Both the populations are endogamous and they belong to the Dravidian linguistic family. Halakki is a tribal group having a population size of c. 3383. They claim that they originally belong to Gujarat and Rajasthan, and migrated through Andhra Pradesh to Karnataka. Kunabhi is also a tribal population, c. 35,214 in number. They were hunters and gatherers but presently they practice agriculture.