Toe and plantar dermatoglyphics in adult American Caucasians

The scarcity of information on control data of toe and plantar dermatoglyphics led us to undertake this study of adult American Caucasians. Toe and sole prints of 168 male and 83 female participants of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging were analyzed. Toe pattern frequencies demonstrate that fibular loops are the most prevalent pattern on the toes in both males and females. Pattern distribution by digit shows that arches are most often located on the fifth toe while whorls are found with greatest frequency on the third toe. Plantar pattern frequencies indicate that the most common pattern found in the hallucal area is the distal loop. Open fields are frequently found in the II and IV interdigital areas while distal loops are prevalent in the III area. These results are compared to the finger and palmar patterns of the same individuals. The distribution of patterns on the toes and fingers of the same individuals appear to be quite different. Population comparisons did not demonstrate a clear racial difference in the toe pattern frequencies or in the plantar areas.