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Quantitative digital and palmar dermatoglyphics among Sardinian linguistic groups
Emanuele Sanna1, Elisabetta Vallascas, Elena Usai
1Dipartimento di Biologia Sperimentale, Sezione di Scienze Antropologiche, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Monserrato, Italy. sannae@unica.it
Summary
Dermatoglyphic analysis of Sardinians revealed distinct biological relationships aligning with ethno-historical backgrounds, not linguistic groups. Digital variables effectively separated sexes and populations, unlike palmar traits.
Area of Science:
- Anthropometry and Human Genetics
- Population Genetics
- Dermatoglyphics
Background:
- Sardinia hosts diverse linguistic groups with debated ethno-historical origins.
- Quantitative dermatoglyphics offer insights into population relationships.
- Previous studies show varied success in correlating dermatoglyphics with Sardinian population structure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate biological relationships among five Sardinian linguistic groups using quantitative dermatoglyphic variables.
- To assess the efficacy of digital and palmar dermatoglyphic traits in differentiating sexes and populations.
- To compare dermatoglyphic-inferred relationships with existing linguistic and ethno-historical data.
Main Methods:
- Discriminant analyses were performed on 1364 Sardinians (689 males, 675 females) using 23 digital and 15 palmar variables.
- Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) assessed intergroup heterogeneity.
- Standard and stepwise discriminant analyses were applied to various subsets of variables, including total finger ridge count (TFRC), absolute finger ridge count (AFRC), pattern intensity (PI), and main line index (MLI).
Main Results:
- Standard discriminant analysis of 20 digital variables successfully separated males and females and revealed population relationships consistent with ethno-historical backgrounds.
- Analysis of 15 palmar variables failed to separate sexes and yielded relationships conflicting with linguistic and ethno-historical data.
- Stepwise discriminant analysis identified four key variables (URC R5, RRC L5, RRC R5, URC R4) that mirrored the 20-digital variable results, clearly separating the Gallurian group and showing close affinities among other Sardinian, Sassarian, and Alghero groups.
Conclusions:
- Quantitative dermatoglyphics, particularly digital variables, can effectively delineate population structures and reflect ethno-historical relationships in Sardinia.
- Palmar dermatoglyphic variables were less effective in distinguishing Sardinian populations and sexes.
- The study supports an ethno-historical model over a purely linguistic one for understanding Sardinian population differentiation.
