Hypothenar radial arch in man: Observations on its distribution, morphology, symmetry, and inheritance

Abstract

Hypothenar radial arch was found in 2.07% of the males and 2.82% of females in a sample of 2,130 Bulgarians. Persons bearing the pattern on the right hand display the highest frequency, followed by those bearing the pattern bilaterally and those with it on the left hand. A well-expressed tendency of the hypothenar radial arch towards symmetrical occurrence was disclosed through the ratio between the actual and expected frequency of its bilateral occurrence. This ratio is recommended as an efficient estimator of tendency toward symmetry. The presence of the pattern is associated with morphological peculiarities of the other dermatoglyphic features of the palm. Line A ends at two parts of the palm periphery which are extremes of its usual distribution. Line D is shortened and the ridges run more vertically than in palms without the pattern. The connection of the hypothenar radial arch with the border ulnar triradius, along with the observations on the opposite hypothenars in the unilateral cases, provides a support of Wilder's conception concerning the mode of formation of the pattern. A genealogical tree exhibiting transmission of the pattern over three consecutive generations is presented. A pattern of dominant inheritance with a fairly reduced penetrance is compatible with the genealogical data.

Palmar pattern frequencies as indicators of relationships among Sardinian linguistic groups of males

“…As concerns qualitative palmar dermatoglyphic traits, they are considered to be largely under genetic control (Pons, 1954;Glanville, 1965;Kumbnani, 1969;Vrydagh-Laoureux, 1971;Kloepfer, 1978;Loesch, 1978;Morgan et al, 1978;Karev, 1991), their interpopulation variability has been ascertained (Pons, 1952;Schwidetzky, 1966;Plato, 1970;Chamla & Sahly, 1972;Plato & Wertelecki, 1972;Plato et aL, 1975;Vrydagh-Laoureux, 1979;Fox et al, 1987;Francis, 1991).…”

Natural selection and asymmetry: the points of intersection

“…Natural selection and asymmetry: the points of intersection by Van Valen, but even in such correlated traits as the ridge-counts on different fingers (54). This reinforces considerably the lack of general buffering capacity.…”

“…Further, dermatoglyphic asymmetry in Bulgarians was worked out in detail (53,54). Four kinds of asymmetry -directional, ambidirectional, relative and fluctuatinghave been investigated in a large sample of 2130 healthy Bulgarians, 1065 of either sex.…”

Dermatoglyphic analysis of hypothenar traits in twins

“…3 There is hypothenar radial arch in 2.07% of the males and 2.82% of females among 2,130 Bulgarians. 4 Persons bearing the pattern on the right hand display the highest frequency, followed by those bearing it bilaterally and those bearing it on the left hand. In 264 right-, 246 mixed-and 360 left-handers in Bulgaria, the hypothenar radial arch, along with its considerably higher frequency in females than in males and on the right palm than on the left one, as well as its rarity combined with a very high symmetry displays an interesting peculiarity.…”