Gene differentiation among the Dhangar caste-cluster of Maharashtra, India.

Genetic differentiation among the 22 Dhangar castes of Maharashtra, India, is studied using data on several polymorphic serological and biochemical loci employing Nei's distance measures. The intercaste genetic distances and the coefficient of gene diversity among these caste groups are found to be rather small. The relationship between gene identity and geographic distance is also studied empirically from the gene frequency data. All these analyses indicate that genetic differentiation among the Dhangar castes is at its very early stage only. It is also suggested that these caste groups probably originated from a common stock and are in the process of differentiation by fission with very little intercaste migration in the recent past.