Finger and palmar dermatoglyphics in Muzeina Bedouins from South Sinai: qualitative traits

Abstract

Qualitative finger and palmar dermatoglyphics traits of 218 individuals (170 males and 48 females), belonging to the Muzeina Bedouins – the nomadic tribe, a small isolate with a high degree of consanguinity from the South Sinai Peninsula were studied. The highest frequencies of pattern whorl (W) on the 4th finger followed by an ulnar loop (UL) on the 3rd finger for both hands in both sexes were observed. Similarly, the highest occurrence of pattern combinations W-W (67.7%) was followed by the UL-UL (65.2%) in both sexes. Finger and palmar patterns show homogeneity in nature except the 3rd finger and the 4th palmar area, which have a significant sex difference. The present results are not exactly similar with our previous studies on other populations – Chuvashian (Karmakar et al 2007), Indians (Karmakar et al 2002), Turkmenians (Karmakar et al 2010), perhaps due to a major ethnic difference and a high inbreeding level.