Slavolyubova Irina Anatol'evna

Introduction. An assessment of the currently known data on intergroup variability of papillary patterns of fingers' middle phalanges suggests the possibility of using these characteristics to differentiate Eurasian populations.

Material and methods. The study conducted on the prints of fingers' middle phalanges of 1178 men from 12 ethno-territorial groups of Russia and Kyrgyzstan. These are mainly archival materials represented by impressions of the entire palmar surface of the hand. Therefore, we applied а classification that unites morphologically similar variants to eliminate possible errors in determining the types of skin patterns.

Results. Statistically significant differences revealed when comparing the proportions of dermatoglyphic features in Caucasian populations, on the one hand, and mixed Caucasian-Mongoloid or Mongoloid populations, on the other. The occurrence frequencies of straight and hook patterns increase, and the frequencies of distal arc and complex double patterns decrease in the presence of a Mongoloid (or Uralic) component.

The results of cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling confirmed the division of populations depending on the presence of a Mongoloid, including Ural, component in their racial composition. Within the main clusters, groups were differentiated according to anthropological similarity and territorial proximity.

The skin patterns’ complex of digital middle phalanges is very sensitive to the presence of a Mongoloid (or Uralic) component in Caucasian populations, as well as the main dermatoglyphic features of the hand. The differentiation of samples according to the patterns of the middle phalanges largely corresponds to the division based on classical racial and key dermatoglyphic characteristics. However, as a result of multidimensional scaling, the Volga-Kama populations were located further from the Caucasoid than both Mongoloid samples. Therefore, shares’ distribution of united dermatoglyphic signs in Mongoloid populations requires clarification using additional data.

Conclusion. The results of various statistical analyzes allow us to conclude that it is possible to use dermatoglyphic characteristics of digital middle phalanges to differentiate Caucasoid samples and groups with a Mongoloid (or Ural) component. The presence of the Mongoloid component in the groups is accompanied by a decrease in the complexity of the papillary patterns on the middle phalanges. © 2023. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.