Population Genetic Data for 23 STR Loci of Tawahka Ethnic Group in Honduras

Background: The Tawahka ethnic group, with approximately 2690 individuals in northeastern Honduras, represents one of the country’s smallest indigenous communities. No genetic studies have been published on this population, and population-specific databases are essential for forensic applications. Methods: Allele frequencies for 23 autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) loci were analyzed in 100 unrelated Tawahka individuals (61 females, 39 males) from the municipality of Wampusirpi. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from blood on Fast Technology for Analysis of nucleic acids (FTA) cards and amplified using the PowerPlex Fusion 6C System. Statistical parameters were calculated using Genepop v4.2 and Arlequin v5.3.2.2. Results: All loci showed substantial polymorphism with no Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium deviations after Bonferroni correction (α = 0.0022). Expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.4968 to 0.8812. Combined power of discrimination was 99.9999% and combined chance of exclusion was 99.99%. Conclusions: This first genetic characterization of the Tawahka population provides essential reference data for forensic identification, paternity testing, and population genetics studies. The dataset contributes to understanding indigenous Central American genetic diversity and ensures accurate forensic analyses for individuals of Tawahka ancestry following Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and European Standard Set (ESS) standards.