A genetical analysis of diversity and asymmetry in finger ridge counts

Abstract

The genetics of asymmetry and diversity of finger ridge counts in man has been examined by jointly regressing the individual counts of each hand on to the mean values summed over left and right hands in a sample of twins. The resulting asymmetry terms are largely under environmental control but with a small significant genetic component. The diversity items show a larger degree of genetic control with a suggestion of dominance or additive x additive epistasis. © 1982 The Genetical Society of Great Britain.