Sexual dimorphism in digital dermatoglyphics: A qualitative analysis of bengali hindu population, West Bengal, India

Abstract

Dermatoglyphic characteristics for identification of sex play an important role in forensic and medico-legal purposes. Hence, it considered to be the most precise and reliable indicators for personal and gender identification. Such types of information on Bengali speaking Hindu population are very scanty. This was tempted the present authors to assess the sex-wise variation of digital dermatoglyphic traits in a sample from West Bengal, India. A total 168 participants were recruited to obtain basic information and fingertip impression of the participants. Impressions were taken by using Ink method (Calcutta Ink) and examined with hand-lens. The mean age for male participants was 31.30 ±16.13 and for females it was 32.11±13.30. The loop pattern is observed more frequent (46.13%) compared to whorl (36.25%), arch (10.89%) and composite (6.72%). Females have a more loop (47.84%) and arch (12.26%) patterns than males (43.48% and 8.79% respectively. The whorl (39.85%) and composite (7.88%) patterns are observed more frequently in males as compared to females (33.92% and 5.98% respectively). Furuhata’s Index is more frequent in males (91.64) than females (70.9) but both the Dankmeijer’s and Poll’s Index are higher in females (36.13 and 25.61 respectively) than males (22.05 and 20.21 respectively). However, in case of Pattern Intensity Index there is slightly a sex difference for males and females (12.32 and 11.57 respectively). It was concluded that differences in the finger print pattern, combinations and indices can be used as an important tool for the determination of sex in medico-legal and forensic purposes.