mtDNA H and K Rules of Thumb

From a GENEALOGY-DNA mailing list post by Kathy Johns

16311C is common in more than one haplogroup. -- By itself it is usually H

16311C + 16519C is also usually H but not H2b

16235G + 16311C is also usually H

16235G + 16311C + 16291T is usually H2b, however,

16235G + 16311C + 16224C + 16519C is K.

{NOTE: That would probably be a K, but a rare one.    16235G is only rarely found in K. The old

motifs for K were 16224C and 16311C, but that was before 16519C was generally tested.    16224C is the key.}

It appears that the 16224C and the 16519C are characteristically linked in K and

that 16235G + 16291T are characteristically linked in H2b

so that is the best way to tell these apart when 235 + 311 are also involved but there are always exceptions.

Note: H2b is the old classification