>Nope, species, not race - or arguable sub-species.

Yes. You are absolutely correct.

That said, I meant it in this sense:

From: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/human-ra...

   the human race

   noun [ S ]

   all the people in the world, considered as a group

>Which is why genetic similarity does not work well as a way defining race, and why the concept of race has no biological basis. This is covered by the wikipedia link in my previous comment too.

Exactly. Which is why I brought up how genetically similar we all are, regardless of, well, anything.

>Yes, but that is just normal for a species. We share a lot of DNA (98%?) with chimpanzees and something like 70% with fish! its not really meaningful. However, its not the main argument, because the variation within vs (lack of) between groups is really the killer argument.

Yes. And we share anywhere up to 60% of DNA with plants too.

I thought that's what I said. My apologies if I wasn't clear.

The upshot is, as we both are trying to elucidate (at least I think you are as well), that from a biological/genetic standpoint humans, regardless of geographic origin, melanin content and/or other physical features, are incredibly similar.

So much so that trying to define groups of humans by such physical features is idiotic in the extreme. Sadly, that doesn't stop some of our fellow humans from trying to do so. And more's the pity.

Thanks for clarifying.

Absolutely agree with last para so I do not think we disagree significantly.

I think it is worth adding that, we also get similar behaviour based on other differences: caste in India does not have such obvious physical markers (not to an outsider anyway) but being low caste in India has a history (longer!) very similar to being black in the US. Ethnic splits in other countries might be based on family name, language, religion,.... any identifier that might be even partially inherited.

Edit, to add: This might be a product of living in different countries and cultures, but there are many cases where I cannot tell what "race" people are from their appearance. Light skinned Indians and black Americans, dark skinned Mediterraneans, Central Asians....