Do Arabians have very minor Steppe ancestry?

[Zanzibar]

I notice the Steppe in Arabian populations doesn't show up when using Levant_Natufian and Levant_JOR_EBA, but when I utilize Yemenite_Mahra who are supposedly the purest Arabians (correct me if I am wrong) to represent the Arabian component, many other Yemenis, Saudis and Bedouins start showing very low almost negligible amounts of Steppe ancestry like around 1-2%.

The BedouinA was a Levantine Bedouin pop, I just posted them to compare with other Bedouins and Peninsular Arabs.


I then try another run which is replacing the Yemenite_Mahra with Proto_Natufian_(simulated) and ANA_simulated (Ancient_North_African, the African side of Iberomaurusian). I also include IRN_Seh_Gabi_C to improve the fits and here are the results:

Target: BedouinB
Distance: 3.8943% / 0.03894269
55.0 Proto-Natufian_(simulated)
18.8 IRN_Seh_Gabi_C
10.6 Iran_Neolithic_Farmer_IRN_Ganj_Dareh_N
8.4 ANA_(simulated)
3.0 Levant_PPNB
2.8 Yoruba
1.4 Pontic_Steppe_Yamnaya_Pastoralist_Yamnaya_RUS_Sama ra


Target: Saudi
Distance: 4.0140% / 0.04013982
57.2 Proto-Natufian_(simulated)
19.2 IRN_Seh_Gabi_C
12.0 Iran_Neolithic_Farmer_IRN_Ganj_Dareh_N
8.4 ANA_(simulated)
2.0 Yoruba
1.2 Pontic_Steppe_Yamnaya_Pastoralist_Yamnaya_RUS_Sama ra


Target: Yemenite_Al_Bayda
Distance: 2.8624% / 0.02862436
48.6 Proto-Natufian_(simulated)
16.8 Iran_Neolithic_Farmer_IRN_Ganj_Dareh_N
11.4 IRN_Seh_Gabi_C
11.0 Levant_PPNB
7.0 ANA_(simulated)
3.2 Yoruba
1.6 Pontic_Steppe_Yamnaya_Pastoralist_Yamnaya_RUS_Sama ra
0.4 Dinka

Target: Yemenite_Al_Jawf
Distance: 3.6000% / 0.03600036
52.0 Proto-Natufian_(simulated)
15.8 IRN_Seh_Gabi_C
13.2 Iran_Neolithic_Farmer_IRN_Ganj_Dareh_N
8.6 Levant_PPNB
7.4 ANA_(simulated)
2.2 Yoruba
0.8 Pontic_Steppe_Yamnaya_Pastoralist_Yamnaya_RUS_Sama ra


Target: Yemenite_Amran
Distance: 2.4923% / 0.02492285
40.4 Proto-Natufian_(simulated)
22.6 IRN_Seh_Gabi_C
13.6 Levant_PPNB
11.2 Iran_Neolithic_Farmer_IRN_Ganj_Dareh_N
6.2 ANA_(simulated)
3.2 Pontic_Steppe_Yamnaya_Pastoralist_Yamnaya_RUS_Sama ra
2.8 Yoruba

Target: Yemenite_Dhamar
Distance: 2.5865% / 0.02586505
48.2 Proto-Natufian_(simulated)
34.8 IRN_Seh_Gabi_C
7.6 ANA_(simulated)
3.4 Yoruba
2.2 Levant_PPNB
1.4 Iran_Neolithic_Farmer_IRN_Ganj_Dareh_N
1.4 Pontic_Steppe_Yamnaya_Pastoralist_Yamnaya_RUS_Sama ra
1.0 Dinka


Target: Yemenite_Jew
Distance: 3.3348% / 0.03334834
52.2 Proto-Natufian_(simulated)
33.4 IRN_Seh_Gabi_C
7.4 ANA_(simulated)
3.2 Iran_Neolithic_Farmer_IRN_Ganj_Dareh_N
2.6 Yoruba
1.2 Pontic_Steppe_Yamnaya_Pastoralist_Yamnaya_RUS_Sama ra


Target: Yemenite_Ma'rib
Distance: 3.1689% / 0.03168887
50.0 Proto-Natufian_(simulated)
28.6 IRN_Seh_Gabi_C
7.4 ANA_(simulated)
5.8 Iran_Neolithic_Farmer_IRN_Ganj_Dareh_N
5.2 Levant_PPNB
2.4 Yoruba
0.6 Dinka

Target: Yemenite_Mahra
Distance: 3.3103% / 0.03310266
58.2 Proto-Natufian_(simulated)
22.4 Iran_Neolithic_Farmer_IRN_Ganj_Dareh_N
9.0 Levant_PPNB
8.8 ANA_(simulated)
1.2 IRN_Seh_Gabi_C
0.4 Yoruba

Individual samples show even more Steppe among each Peninsular Arab groups. Btw I decided to replace Dinka and Yoruba with older and ancient Negroids such as COG_Kindoki_230BP (West-Central African Bantu Farmer), Kakapel_300BP (Bantu) and Kakapel_900BP (Nilotic Pastoralist) and ETH_4500BP (Mota Hunter Gatherer from Ethiopia) to see if it will affect the Steppe score even a bit.



Yemenis from Amran seem to have the most Steppe both in average and individual levels and Mahras the least (most of the Mahras seem to lack it). Even Saudis and Yemeni Jews have more Steppe than Mahras. Heck, there were two Amran samples who score 6.2-7.2%, one Dhamar sample who is 5.2% and one Yemenite Jew who is 5%, that's Lebanese Christian average level of Steppe (5-7%).

What's funny is how the amount of Yamnaya per individual seems to really varied even among groups such as Yemeni Jews and Amranis, some have around 5% while other individuals have close to zero to literally none.

Btw here are the coordinates for the last model:

Pontic_Steppe_Yamnaya_Pastoralist_Yamnaya_RUS_Samara,0.1255849,0.089028,0.0426986,0.1153479,-0.0287232,0.0450564,0.0036033,-0.0025642,-0.0559032,-0.0728943,0.0018222,3.32e-05,-0.0026924,-0.0233041,0.0366141,0.0157633,-0.0012316,-0.0017879,-0.0038408,0.0137704,-0.0031749,0.0007557,0.0110649,0.0186102,-0.004537
ANA_(simulated),-0.571392,-0.027419,0.013576,0.009855,0.040623,-0.015523,-0.162235,0.067998,0.243042,0.002005,-0.000784,-0.041239,0.081441,-0.148149,0.15178,-0.082206,0.072689,-0.168241,-0.366474,0.042,-0.114965,-0.336542,0.211801,-0.030807,0.023369
Proto-Natufian_(simulated),0.154549,0.185486,-0.045424,-0.181721,0.03489,-0.100323,0.001981,-0.039605,0.09774,0.004875,0.044136,-0.019354,0.081207,0.037592,-0.017759,0.025542,-0.036934,0.037069,0.054803,0.04523,0.025848,0.0795 25,-0.051595,0.007188,0.001536
Iran_Neolithic_Farmer_IRN_Ganj_Dareh_N,0.0430252,0.0664158,-0.1550722,0.0047158,-0.122669,0.0235384,0.017109,-0.0011998,-0.082546,-0.0544158,-0.0028258,-0.0016186,0.0044896,-0.0062756,0.0316498,0.0561384,-0.0054242,0.0068664,0.0136508,-0.0334162,0.00856,-0.028836,-0.0110678,-0.039331,0.0222254
Caucasus_Hunter-Gatherer_GEO_CHG,0.091058,0.102568,-0.083344,-0.00323,-0.08617,0.020638,0.024911,-0.001846,-0.128236,-0.074717,-0.006333,0.023979,-0.054856,0.004404,0.026601,-0.03275,0.02386,-0.013429,-0.022249,0.034767,0.033815,-0.007048,0.006532,-0.025787,-0.002036
Anatolia_Neolithic_Farmer_TUR_Barcin_N,0.1175998,0.180118,0.0035312,-0.101158,0.0510443,-0.0483875,-0.0043582,-0.0069334,0.0362287,0.0807473,0.0079718,0.0118803,-0.0234545,0.0004691,-0.0419807,-0.0101913,0.0233091,0.0019866,0.0136954,-0.0097489,-0.0142249,0.0057723,-0.0041232,-0.0031658,-0.0043437
ITA_Grotta_Continenza_Meso,0.1225497,0.1120467,0.2008793,0.2048907,0.1728527,0.0618207,0.0160593,0.0412293,0.108602,0.0271533,-0.0193243,-0.0143373,0.0162043,-0.0086703,0.0708007,0.069035,0.0002173,0.0120353,-0.0099303,0.0637807,0.118,0.0113347,-0.0608843,-0.1971763,0.021994
ETH_4500BP,-0.511066,0.043668,0.000754,0.000969,-0.00277,-0.011435,0.050997,-0.045229,0.089172,-0.087838,-0.012991,-0.002997,-0.031219,0.000688,0.02158,-0.029965,0.027772,0.039273,0.00176,-0.009004,0.000374,0.006183,-0.003451,-0.00241,-0.000838
Levant_PPNB,0.072847,0.1639064,-0.0316026,-0.1361132,0.0332986,-0.0645352,-0.0134426,-0.0147684,0.0741604,0.03601,0.0188046,-0.0150764,0.035738,0.0025596,-0.0217696,0.006099,0.0098048,-0.0013176,-0.0047264,0.0188088,-0.001797,0.0071472,0.0008872,-0.0056874,-0.0037602
IRN_Seh_Gabi_C,0.0799038,0.1186138,-0.1042362,-0.054264,-0.067151,-0.0124944,0.005499,-0.0086302,-0.0478176,-0.0168748,0.0024684,0.0005096,-0.001427,-0.0011558,0.0034204,0.0170244,-0.0028684,0.0046622,0.0082206,-0.014682,0.0070626,-0.005787,-0.0015282,-0.0162432,0.0072566
Dinka,-0.577083,0.0507765,-0.0003773,-0.0075098,-0.0053855,-0.0016735,-0.0176848,0.0204222,0.081145,-0.0969495,-0.02107,0.022742,-0.0383172,-0.0011698,0.0101452,-0.021347,0.0186125,-0.0094382,0.0241968,-0.0241678,0.002402,0.003308,0.001479,0.0009038,0.0096995
COG_Kindoki_230BP,-0.6231815,0.058393,0.019422,0.018088,0.0007695,0.0133865,-0.007168,0.0170765,-0.035587,0.017495,0.0048715,-0.002248,-0.0031215,-0.0052985,-0.0021715,0.0088835,-0.0058675,-0.004941,-0.0042735,0.0078785,0.0061765,-0.0012985,0.002465,-0.0030125,0.0029935
KEN_Kakapel_300BP,-0.583913,0.055854,0.011314,0.010659,-0.000308,0.007809,-0.013396,0.018922,0.00225,-0.025695,-0.016401,0.014237,-0.0278,-0.003441,-0.035152,0.026651,-0.011083,-0.002787,-0.016466,0.002251,0.00025,-0.005441,0.007148,0.008073,-0.002634
KEN_Kakapel_900BP,-0.513342,0.05687,-0.010936,-0.00969,-0.007386,-0.013666,-0.00658,0.014769,0.075674,-0.113898,-0.032478,0.028924,-0.049207,-0.010046,0.015065,-0.020419,0.018645,-0.000507,0.022877,-0.027138,-0.002496,0.007172,-0.027238,-0.000241,0.004071
Yoruba,-0.6300625,0.0625011,0.022113,0.0167079,0.0005035,0.0124741,-0.044417,0.0477673,-0.0488813,0.0327694,0.0046205,0.0007904,0.0230561,0.0009509,0.0125232,-0.0096067,0.0070763,0.0004491,0.006022,-0.00299,0.0015542,0.0023156,-0.0017592,-0.0004711,-0.0004246

[Zanzibar]

Before this, I thought native Peninsular Arabs including Saudis and Yemenis would be the one of the only West Asian-North African group besides Samaritans, Georgians (surprisingly despite their close geographical proximity to the Pontic Caspian Steppe), Trabzon Turks, Hemsheni Armenians and Egyptians to have negligible noise level to literally zero steppe.

I thought this is because the vast desert landscapes of Arabia acting as a geographical barrier against Indo-European incursions from the north, but now after running out these models, it seems they also have minor Steppe input which really surprises me. The only exception seems to be Mahras who genetically seem even more isolated and endogamous compared to other Arabians.

[Kyp]

they do have some r1a clades

[Zanzibar]

they do have some r1a clades

Are you referring to Saudis or Yemenis?

Well it does look like many Arabians do have very minor Steppe. I used to think they lack Steppe but it seems they also have some in very small amounts.

[mashail]

My mum is half Iraqi Bedouin and half Egyptian she's 4% steppe
https://imgur.com/2Lkq2CR

[mashail]

Are you referring to Saudis or Yemenis?

Well it does look like many Arabians do have very minor Steppe. I used to think they lack Steppe but it seems they also have some in very small amounts.

R1a in West Asia is the highest among Bedouin in Kuwait more than 40% its higher than Iran.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haplogroup_R1a#Asia

R1a1a has been found in various forms, in most parts of Western Asia, in widely varying concentrations, from almost no presence in areas such as Jordan, to much higher levels in parts of Kuwait and Iran. The Shimar (Shammar) Bedouin tribe in Kuwait show the highest frequency in the Middle East at 43%.

Wells 2001, noted that in the western part of the country, Iranians show low R1a1a levels, while males of eastern parts of Iran carried up to 35% R1a1a. Nasidze et al. 2004 found R1a1a in approximately 20% of Iranian males from the cities of Tehran and Isfahan. Regueiro 2006 in a study of Iran, noted much higher frequencies in the south than the north.

[Zanzibar]

My mum is half Iraqi Bedouin and half Egyptian she's 4% steppe
https://imgur.com/2Lkq2CR

The Steppe could be either from the Bedouin or Egyptian side imo.

[Zanzibar]

R1a in West Asia is the highest among Bedouin in Kuwait more than 40% its higher than Iran.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haplogroup_R1a#Asia

R1a1a has been found in various forms, in most parts of Western Asia, in widely varying concentrations, from almost no presence in areas such as Jordan, to much higher levels in parts of Kuwait and Iran. The Shimar (Shammar) Bedouin tribe in Kuwait show the highest frequency in the Middle East at 43%.

Wells 2001, noted that in the western part of the country, Iranians show low R1a1a levels, while males of eastern parts of Iran carried up to 35% R1a1a. Nasidze et al. 2004 found R1a1a in approximately 20% of Iranian males from the cities of Tehran and Isfahan. Regueiro 2006 in a study of Iran, noted much higher frequencies in the south than the north.

It's interesting because Iranians have much higher Steppe than Bedouins despite the latter possessing a lot of R1a.

Btw its look like the West Asia-North Africa groups that have very negligible levels to literally zero Steppe are Western Georgians, Hemsheni Armenians, Trabzon Turks, Samaritans, Peninsular Arabians especially the Mahras and Egyptians.

Are you surprised that some Yemeni Amranis and one Yemeni Dhamar in the run above were around 6-7% Steppe? That's very high for Arabia imo.

[mashail]

The Steppe could be either from the Bedouin or Egyptian side imo.

Egyptians are 0% steppe but the Iraqi Bedouins do have some steppe.

[Leto]

1-3% Steppe in Arabia is literally a nothing burger. Don't understand why it's so surprising. After all, Arabia is in proximity to Iran, Iraq and even Pakistan is not that far off.