Allele frequencies distributions for 13 autosomal STR loci in 3 Black Carib (Garifuna) populations of the Honduran Caribbean coasts

Allele and genotype frequencies for 13 autosomal STR loci included in the Promega Powerplex 16 kit were assessed in 174 individuals from three Garifuna communities of the Caribbean coasts of Honduras (Central America). For the 13 loci the observed heterozygocity frequencies ranged from 0.571 for the D5S818 locus to 0.939 for the D18S51 locus, both in the Corozal population. Deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, as well as pairs of loci in linkage disequilibrium (even after Bonferroni corrections of the level of statistical significance) and high Fis values were observed. These “spurious” results are probably caused by population substructure (Wahlund effect within communities) and high endogamy.