PLANTAR AND DIGITAL DERMATOGLYPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF ZIMBABWEAN SUBJECTS

Abstract

Objective: To establish the dermatoglyphic characteristics of indigenous Zimbabwean
subjects.
Design: Cross-sectional study of randomly selected subjects.
Setting: Mufakose, a high-density township in cosmopolitan Harare and Gweru, a midland
city in Zimbabwe.
Main outcome: Dankmeijer (DI) and pattern intensity (PII) indices and the variability of
ridge patterns.
Materials and methods: Bilateral plantar and digital prints of the sole of selected subjects
were recorded, studied and classified.
Results: Plantar pattern types, showed more loops than arches and~more arches than whorls.
The loops and arches were commoner on the distal than proximal zones of the sole; features
also shown in Malawians. Whorls were absent in zone I1 and this appears to be peculiar to
Zimbabweans. Digital pattern types showed the predominance of arches as was the case with
Malawians but loops were the most prominent in the first digit and next in overall
prominence to arches. The mean PI1 was higher in males than females while DI was higher
in females than males, which were also the case with Malawian subjects previously studied.
However, for both sexes the PI1 was significantly higher in Zimbabweans than Malawians
while DI was significantly lower in Zimbabweans than Malawians (p~0.001).
Conclusion: This study has elucidated the normal dermatoglyphic characteristics of
Zimbabweans, showing features that indicate affinities with Malawians. The digital features,
however, could differentiate Zimbabweans better from Malawians, further emphasising the
uniqueness of digital ridge patterns in differentiating population groups.