Finger dermatoglyphic variations in Rengma Nagas of Nagaland India

The Rengma Nagas are one of the major Mongoloid tribal populations in the North-Eastern state of Nagaland in India. Population variation and sexual dimorphism in respect of finger dermatoglyphic characteristics in 207 adult individuals (104 males and 103 females) are reported in this present context. Frequency distribution of finger pattern types in different digits (both left and right sides combined) showed that whorls were the most prevalent patterns among both males (52.19%) and females (55.69%), followed by loops (47.70% in males and 42.81% in females). Significant sex differences in Dankmeijer Index (t = 1.47; p < 0.0001) and finger wise variations of total finger ridge count (TFRC) and absolute finger ridge count (AFRC) in both the sexes were recorded. However, in cases of the frequencies of finger dermatoglyphic pattern types, Pattern Intensity Index in fingers, TFRC and AFRC no significant sex differences were observed.