Genetic analyses of multivariate fingertip dermatoglyphic factors and comparison with corresponding individual variables

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Abstract
Utilizing 7 combinations of 40 fingertip variables identified with factor analysis, scores were calculated for each of the 7 multivariate factors in 720 fraternal (dizygotic; DZ) twins and 114 identical (monozygotic; MZ) twin pairs and their families. In a comparison of variances of the factor scores in MZ vs. DZ twins, a larger total variance was found for DZ twins, and subsequent estimates of genetic variance were not significant for 2 factors containing thumb variables, paralleling these surprising findings seen for each of the individual thumb variables. In comparisons of variances in the offspring of MZ twins, evidence for maternal effects was found for the thumb radial and ridge-count factor and a factor comprising the pattern type and ulnar count of the little finger, again reflecting findings seen in the individual variables comprising these factors. Multivariate pattern factors display the same findings as those individual variables comprising the factors and may provide additional genetic information over considering each variable singly.