Sexual dimorphism in dermatoglyphic traits and fluctuating asymmetry in Bulgarians from northeast Bulgaria

In parallel with the development of dermatoglyphics as a method of identification, data have been accumulated on the characteristics of fingerprints related to sex and ethnic origin which make up the statistical basis of this study. The aims of the present study are to determine phenotype variations in the asymmetry of dermatoglyphics in both sexes within the scope of the entire hand skin ridge system; to investigate correlations between the phenotypes; and, to assess the fluctuating asymmetry among the Bulgarian population from the region of northwest Bulgaria. The sample consists of 894 unrelated, clinically healthy individuals (480 females and 414 males) aged 18-50 years, who live in towns and villages in the northwest provinces. Finger and palmar prints were collected using rolled print (inked) method. Twenty dermatoglyphics variables of fingers and hands, separately for right and left hands and jointly for both hands, were statistically assessed. The material was processed by SPSS 12 software. The results of the present study show distinctive sexual differences. Higher values in males are recorded in finger ridge counts, the Furuhata and Cummins indices, the palm ridge counts and the overall ridge counts in all interdigital areas. Males have higher frequency values in patterns Hy, Th/III and Th/IV.