Y Chromosome Haplogroup R1b-V88: Biogeographical Evidence for an Iberian Origin Michael R. Maglio Abstract The status on the origins of haplogroup R1b remains split between the Iberian Peninsula prior to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and a West Asian origin coinciding with the Neolithic expansion. The majority of focus on subgroup R1b-V88 has concentrated on African populations and neglected European and West Asian populations. To get a complete understanding of the back to Africa migration, a holistic network approach is necessary. Biogeographical Multilateration (BGM) illustrates directional flow as well as chronological and physical origins at the haplogroup level. The resulting phylogenetic relationships for R1b-V88 support an Iberian origin, a Mediterranean expansion and a Europe to Africa back migration. Introduction When we talk about the origins of haplogroup R1b, what we are really referring to is the origin of SNP R-M343. There is a consensus that the parent of R1b, R1-M173, has West Asian roots. Previously published papers have used samples from SNP R1b-M269 and downstream subgroups to provide ample records. Genetic records from upstream SNPs (V88, M73 and PF6398) closest to the root are better suited for identifying geographic origins. Focus on only high-density populations prevents a holistic view of the entire population. There is a strong biogeographical case for the Iberian origins of the parent SNP R1b-L278 (Maglio 2014) and evidence that a Neolithic Expansion origin is unjustified (Busby et al 2011). This paper will detail the use of new analysis tools to show evidence for an Iberian origin of R1b-V88, reinforcing the evidence for its parent, R1b-L278. Considering that the V88 subclade is small, the number of publically available records are few. Haplotype Aggregation, using known haplotypes to expand the record set, was required to achieve a reasonable dataset. That dataset is doubled through phylogenetic common ancestor reconstruction. The entire set is run through Biogeographical Multilateration (BGM) to determine origins and migration patterns. The results show a definitive Iberian origin, a phylogenetic backbone along the European Mediterranean coast, an ancient Europe to Africa back migration and a return migration to Europe (Fig 1). Fig. 1 R1b-V88 demonstrates an African back migration and subsequent remigration to Europe