Dermatoglyphic patterns of three ethnic groups and hereditary pattern of fingerprints in an urhobo community Dermatoglyphic patterns of three ethnic groups and hereditary pattern of fingerprints in an urhobo community

Abstract

Dermatoglyphics study is an important aspect of forensic science in establishing an individual’s identity.
The aim of this study is to empirically determine the fingerprint pattern of subjects of Urhobo, Isoko, and
Ika origin and to compare the prevalence of fingerprint pattern of parents and their biological children.
This study is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted for 6 months period among three ethnic
groups in Delta State. The combined sample size for the study is 1200 subjects, each selected across the
aforementioned ethnic groups. A similar study focusing on the hereditary pattern of print was conducted
for the Urhobo people using a small village (Igun). Data collected were subjected to statistical analysis,
using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20. P < 0.05 was considered significant.
The statistical analysis showed that females had greater proportion of Arches and Loops in all five digits,
while male had greater proportion of Whorl in all five digits. The current study shows that fingerprint
pattern is unique among gender, ethnicity, and families. This study will be of great relevance in the field
of anthropology and forensic sciences.