The relationship between single parent and parent pair genetic likelihoods in genealogy reconstruction (Q1068755)

In the present paper, techniques of genealogy reconstruction based on genetic likelihoods of parent-offspring relationships are explored. Previous applications of such techniques have involved human populations, with emphasis placed on identification of parent pairs followed by reconstruction of families. In natural populations, this approach is neithr practical nor necessarily a realistic representation of population structure. It is proposed that for natural populations emphasis should be placed first on locating the most likely mothers and fathers for a given individual, then seeking the most likely pair among that subset of genetically possible parents.