GENETIC COMPOSITION OF PEHUENCHE INDIANS FROM TRAPA-TRAPA, CHILE

This study describes the genetic composition of Pehuenche indians from Trapa - Trapa. The admixture analysis revealed that this group has co nserved most of its pre-Columbian gene pool and therefore, is represen tative of the indians that lived in Southern Chile before the Spanish conquest. A relatively high frequency of a esterase D variant seems to indicate that this is a Chilean aboriginal population marker. The Chi lean Pehuenches are genetically similar to their Argentinean relatives , which is not surprising since this last group crossed the Andes Moun tains in historic times