Abstract Ten Short Tandem Repeat (STR) loci, CSF1PO, TPOX, THO1, D12S1090, D3S1744, D18S849, FGA, D7S820, D1S533 and D9S304, were analyzed in a population geographically located at the foot of the Andes Range in the province of Neuquen, southwestern Argentina. Allele frequencies and paternity and forensic parameters (power of exclusion, matching probability, and power of discrimination) were calculated for all 10 STR loci. The population was analyzed for HardyWeinberg equilibrium (HWE) and allelic and gene frequencies were compared to those observed in the Buenos Aires population. Results indicate that the population was in HWE for these 10 STR loci. Significant differences between allele and genotype frequencies were found for the D7S820 locus (gene and genotypic differentiation test) when compared with data of the Buenos Aires population. These data indicate that the allele frequency estimations can be used to reliably calculate likelihood ratios for paternity and forensic DNA casework.
