Variation in palmar quantitative dermatoglyphics among Argentinian aboriginal populations

DEMARCHI DA

HOMO

Elsevier

Año: 2000 vol. 51 p. 19 - 29

0018-442X

This paper examines the pattern and extent of genetic variation within and between  five Argentinian aboriginal populations  through the analysis of  quantitative palmar dermatoglyphics. Small bilateral asymmetry  in  interdigital ridge-counts and atd angle, and low sexual dimorphism for all the variables studied were found among  all the studied populations. In contrast, uni- and multi-variate intergroup comparisons  reveal highly significant interpopulation variation. Cluster analysis of  the  Mahalanobis´  distances  portrays the close resemblance  between males and females of each population and reveals a clear separation of the Araucano, from the Patagonia, and the tribes from the Gran Chaco.  The Relethford-Blangero model  for assessing the effects of differential external gene flow suggests a greater than the average admixture from outside the region for the Araucano, which is expected given evidence from traditional genetic markers. A minimum estimate of  FST = 0.079 confirms the substantial genetic differentiation undergone by the indigenous Argentinian populations.