Analiza kvantitativnih svojstava dermatoglifa istarske populacije - "proučavanje bioloških i genetičkih distanci"
The Analysis of Quantitative Dermatoglyphic Traits in the Istrian Population - Study of "Biological and Genetic Distances"

Summary/Abstract: One of the goals of bio-anthropological investigations is to find out a way of interpreting biological variations observed between human populations as a consequence of continuous interactions of genetic, ecological, historical, sociological, linguistic, cultural and other factors. All of them act in some way, with different intensity, on the modification of "biological structure" of human populations. This paper is a contribution to the study of quantitative properties of digito-palmar dermatoglyphics which, although still rarely applied, represent very suitable biological traits in bio-anthropological population studies. This work, as a part of multidisciplinary bio-anthropological investigation carried out in the inhabitants of several different regions of the Istrian peninsula, shows the results of the analysis of six dermatoglyphic traits and gene frequencies p, q and r of the ABO blood group system. It attempts to find out whether the grouping of inhabitants into separate groups differing in their dialect, time of immigration to the peninsula, etc., has any influence on the distribution of quatitative dermatoglyphic traits as well as on the distribution of genes of the ABO blood group system withing and among the groups. This way of social grouping always raises question of whether an investigated group can be considered as being either homogeneous or heterogeneous (on the basis of dermatoglyphic analysis only) and whether the heterogeneity of the group, is oriented to endogamy or exogamy. The investigation was carried out in 174 inhabitants (83 males and 91 females) from four different geographic regions of the Istrian Peninsula: Vrhovšđina (group one), Sovinjština (group two), Livade (group three) and Višnjan (group four (Fig. 1). The traits analysed were: TRC, Pll, a-b rc, b-c rc, c-d rc and atd angle. The analysis of variance (F test for arithmetic means) was applied to estimate heterogeneity among and between the groups. Penrose's C2hjk for the determination of "biological distances" was applied. The heritability estimate was performed by determining the "right - left" correlation for the traits analysed. "Genetic distances" for gene frequencies of blood groups between examined groups are expressed with D2 . Without regard to the significance of the obtained values with respect to their difference from zero, it should be pointed, however, that both in males and females the highest values of are in the pairs including group 2. This is, perhaps, in favor of the hypothesis about tendency of this group towards the highest difference with regard to other groups. The other groups show an identical dispersion from the lowest to the highest values. These results point to a different tendency of distribution of the analysed biological traits with respect to the sex as well as to a different tendency to a possible "openness" of the groups in both males and females. The highest C2Qjk’ 1OO/C2hjk values in males tend to be among the pairs including group 2 (i.e. 2/3, 1/2 and 2/4). In females such a tendency is found for the pairs including group 4 (i.e. 1/4 and 3/4). In males tendency towards the lowest values is shown by the pairs including group 1 (1/3 and 1/4) and in females those pairs in which group 2 is represented (1/2 and 2/4). These results point to the existence of the opposite tendencies with regard to the sex in particular groups. Therefore they might indicate the tendency of the different effect of the processes of endogamy and exogamy with respect to the analysed pairs of the groups. "Genetic distances" (D2) calculated for both sexes show a o certain correspondence with values for the dermatoglyphic traits. In some cases, however, entirely opposite results are found. The lowest D2 values are observed for pairs 1/4 and 2/3, i.e. geographically the most distant, but also the closest pair. Although these results should be accepted with a due amount of caution (since they represent both sexes together). With regard to the highest D2 values the correspondence in the order was not found for C 2 values of dermatoglyphic traits. There is an evident diversity of these "distances" among the analysed biological traits with regard to particular pairs of groups as well as to the sex. It should be said that In the so-called "small populations" (such as those analysed in this work) a number of changes occurring during micro-evolution may be a direct consequence, either of the size of a group Under study or they may depend on the efficiency of the isolation between the analysed groups. The gene flow, probably occurring with a varying intensity between analysed groups if they are'submitted to a certain reproductive isolation, may act with various intensities reducing the differences in allele frequencies. However, it is known that language associated with other socio-cultural peculiarities may act as an effective mechanism of biological isolation and a barrier to gene flow. In spite of the fact that the inhabitants of the analysed group 4 show the greatest differences in their dialect, the results indicate that it is not likely that language in this case was one of the effective mechanisms preventing the exchange of the genetic material between the groups. In relation to the study of endogamy and exogamy the group 4 in females shows the highest values of C2Qjk.100/C2Hjk. This may support the claim that females from group 4 are most directed in the same direction (exogamy?) , i.e. that they probably show the highest tendency toward migration (and by this also the transmission of alleles from one group into another). This result may indicate that the last immigrated group also differed in the number of males and females so that the mating system had to provide for either the flow of alleles from this group, or the influx of new alleles into the group .depending upon the sex of the immigrating population. Although there are certain differences in dialects spoken by the surveyed groups, language in this case, unlike in other bio-anthropological studies, it is not likely to be an effective mechanism of isolation between the analysed groups preventing gene flow, so that the group which should have different tendencies (perhaps, even toward a complete isolation) shows the greatest mobility in the exchange of the alleles. The investigation of quantitative properties of digito-palmar dermatoglyphics may give new possibilities in the study of "biological structure" of human populations, but the results obtained should be considered with caution and compared with the results of the investigation of other biological traits as well as of various socio-cultural, linguistic, historical, demographic, ethnological and other peculiarities of the groups surveyed, including those related to the eco-system in which they live.

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