European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

FINGERPRINTS OF THE THUMB AND INDEX FINGER: THEIR PATTERN OF INHERITANCE AMONG THE URHOBO ETHNIC GROUP IN DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

Ojigho Jennifer Efe*, Oladipo Gabriel Sunday and Oyakhire Micheal Omonkheoa

ABSTRACT

Background: The heart of human science lies in the study of genetics, and for this reason, diseases, therapy, personality, security are all studied at the level of the genetic composition of humans. This study aimed at investigating if fingerprints are hereditary among families from the Urhobo ethnic group in Delta State. Methods: A total of 15 families and 45 unrelated individuals were recruited for this study. Fingerprints of the thumb and index finger were taken with an Hp G4010 fingerprint scanner. Chisquare was used to establish sex - associated differences, mood median test ascertained laterality of ridges while Heritability coefficient was used to calculate the certainty of inheritance among families. Results: We observed offspring having 80%; 66.7%;73.3%;60% and 73.3%;53.3%;73%;46.6% conformance for the related and unrelated group for R1D , R2D, L1D, L2D . The total H0 for R1D and 2D was calculated as 0.278 ( 28%) while that for L1D and 2D was 0.123 (12%). Fingerprint patterns were not sexually influenced in the studied population (p>0.05). Parental combination of Ulnar loops (ULXUL) for the thumb and index fingers produced whorls in their offspring suggesting a possibility of epistasis. Conclusion: This study had established that fingerprints patterns on the thumb and index finger can be transmitted from parents to their F1 generation.

Keywords: Fingerprints; Inheritance, Heritability Coefficient, Urhobo.