Principal component of finger ridge-counts: their universality

Abstract

A principal component analysis was carried out on radial and ulnar finger ridge-count data on a sample of fishermen of the sea coast of Puri in the state of Orissa in India. The component structure is very similar to that obtained earlier by Roberts and Coope for some English populations, by Arrieta and Lostao for a Basque population, by Siervogel et al. for a White American population, by Jantz and Hawkinson, and Jantz et al. for American and African populations, and by other authors for other populations. The initial components are bilaterally symmetric and the structure of these components is the same whether the two sides are taken separately or together. Only the latter components represent a certain amount of bilateral asymmetry. The first component is a 'size' component, indicating total finger ridge-count; the second component is a radial-ulnar contrast. From a comparison with previous studies on other populations, it appears that the component structure corresponding to the larger eigenvalues is fairly universal; there is a certain lack of universality in the structure of the components corresponding to smaller eigenvalues as well as in the order of these components, especially the rotated ones, when the corresponding eigenvalues are very close. As observed by previous authors, components corresponding to larger eigenvalues do not necessarily exhibit larger inter-population differences. However, there is lack of universality in the order of the components and in the structure of the components that exhibit large inter-population differences.

Sexual dimorphism in Muzeina Bedouins from South Sinai: Multivariate analysis on dermatoglyphic traits with asymmetry and diversity

“…Principal component analysis 22 traits: Factor 1 -"digital pattern size factor", Factor 2 -"palmar main lines factor", Factor 3 -"a-b ridge count factor" and Factor 4 -"finger pattern intensity factor" extracted from 22 quantitative variables in both sexes. The first three factors are comparable with the earlier studies in Melanesian populations (Froehlich and Giles1981); in the German population (Chopra 1979); in the English population (Roberts and Coope 1975); in the Taimir aborigine (Galaktinov et al 1982); in the Indian population (Das Chaudhuri and Chopra 1983, Krishnan and Reddy 1992, 2008, 2009Sengupta and Karmakar 2006); and in the Jewish population Kobyliansky 1986, 1991). The fourth factor is similar with earlier studies (Micle and Kobyliansky 1986, 1991, Karmakar et al 2002.…”

Dermatoglyphic affinities among the Telugu populations with contrasting ethnohistorical backgrounds

“…It may also be that the group of variables that discriminates between sexes within a population and/or between populations at lower levels of differentiation are different from those that discriminate at broader levels. Applying principal component analysis to finger ridge counts, Krishnan and Reddy (1992) found somewhat analogous results. They concluded that the components that discriminate populations at different levels of hierarchy may be different.…”

Quantitative dermatoglyphics and population structure in Northwest India

“…That the contrasts between radial and ulnar counts are important for discriminating populations at broader levels, while the palmar variables discriminate populations within the state, may be plausible because the palmar variables are apparently more prone to intrauterine environmental factors (Reddy et al, 1991). Further, applying principal component analysis to the finger ridge count data, Krishnan and Reddy (1992) observed that the components that discriminate populations at different levels of hierarchy may be different.…”