DIGITAL AND PALMAR DERMATOGLYPHICS IN THE LOWLAND RAJPUTS OF PUNJAB
P. S. GILL *
Department of Anthropology, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014, India.
V. BHALLA *
Department of Anthropology, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014, India.
E. SUNDERLAND *
Department of Anthropology, University of Durham, Durham DHI 3TG, England.
S. R. K. CHOPRA *
Department of Anthropology, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Dermatoglyphic data are presented for 73 male and 27 female Lowland Rajputs of Punjab, using qualitative as well as quantitative procedures. The frequencies for digital ulnar-loops interdigital area IV palmar patterns and for axial triradius t are high in this sample. The mainline formula 11.9.7 occurs most frequently. The C mainline showed a high frequency of occurrence where the line is either aborted or missing. There are marked sex differences in the data, females having a higher mean pattern intensity index and a lower value for Dankmeijer's index than in males. On the digits, the mean total ridge count value for males is 139.51 (SD 46.44) and for females the value is 137.37 (SD 40.71). On the palms, the mean a-b ridge count value is highest for the right palm, 39.30 (SD 5.84) in males and for the left palm, 39.60 (SD 3.58) in females. Correlation matrices for the digital ridge counts were also computed. Little can be said of these findings in view of the existing information on other Indian populations.