The use of penrose's C2H for an intra- and inter-population analysis of quantitative dermatoglyphic traits

Results of a part of multidisciplinary studies in six villages on the island of Hvar (Yugoslavia) are presented. Six quantitative properties of dermatoglyphics were analysed (TRC, PII, a-b, b-c and c-d ridge counts, and atd angle). "Biological distances" among the surveyed couples from all six villages were analysed using Penrose's C2H, and its components: C2Q and (v-1/v)C2Z with regard to sex and possibility of determining the direction of endogamy or exogamy. Significant correlation between "geographical distances" and (v-1/v)C2Z is obtained for males, indicating that the social organisation in the examined rural population, from the point of view of demography, has some influence on the distribution of the dermatoglyphical characters.