Variation among European populations in summary finger ridge-count variables

The magnitude of ridge-count variation and its spatial and linguistic patterning was examined using 82 male and 75 female samples from Europe. Variables were summary measures: sum of radial counts (radial) sum of ulnar counts (ulnar) and sum of larger counts (total ridge-count or TRC). Dermatoglyphic parameters were compared with those derived from classic nuclear gene markers. Fst values computed from ridge-counts range between 0.016 and 0.025, relatively high when compared to classical genetic polymorphism. Ridge-count distances show significant correlation with geographic distances but not with linguistic distances. Ridge-count distances show even higher correlation with blood marker distances, suggesting that, like blood polymorphisms, ridge-counts were strongly influenced by demic expansion of Neolithic farmers. The most differentiated populations in Europe are those of the North Atlantic and North Sea region, especially the Orcadians and Faroe Islanders. Certain Finnic speakers such as Lapps and Udmurts are also strongly differentiated. These same populations are frequent outliers in genetic analyses.