The dermatoglyphics of the Elema people from the Gulf District of Papua New Guinea.

Abstract

The present report deals with the digital and palmar dermatoglyphics of the Elema peoples from the Gulf District of Papua New Guinea. The samples involved 91 males and 134 females from the areas of Iokea, Sepoe and Karama. The Elema dermatoglyphics, compared to those of other peoples in New Guinea, were found to have a high pattern intensity index and frequency of whorls, and the highest frequency of ulnar type C line, complete simian creases and patterns in the IV interdigital areas of the palms. On the other hand, their 11/7 ratio of the D line, the main line index, and the frequencies of patterns in the hypothenar, thenar/I and II interdigital areas were lower than most other groups on the island; they also have the lowest R/U ratio. All dermatoglyphic features considered, the frequencies in the Elema group were for the most part found to be near the extremes of the range of the dermatoglyphic frequency distributions in New Guinea populations. The dermatoglyphic distributions of New Guinea as a whole are discussed in terms of those of the other Australian populations with comments on the dermatoglyphic comparisons between the Australasians and the other major human groups, Amerindians, Orientals, Asian Indian, Caucasians and Negroes.