[novacole]

The paper suggests convergent evolution as a reason for simularity in phenotype with respect to African pygmies. I find this unlikely, unless they are referring only to stature.

A more parsimonious explanation would be that, their phenotype has just been carried over from their initial out of Africa ancestors, and there were no evolutionary pressures causing it to change much from the basal state.

[novacole]

That they are more closely related to eastern Asians on a phylogenetic tree has more to do with their time spent out of Africa, leaving (50-70ka). Which means they would exhibit the same lack of modern African alleles as eastern Asians, the anscestors of which left around the same time. Of course there was gene flow between East Asians and Negritos but my guess would be the genetic relatedness is more indicative of time spent out of Africa than gene flow between Negritos and East Asians