Distribution of Fingerprint Patterns Among Young Adults and Siblings in Malaysia

Abstract

A study was conducted to study the distribution of fingerprint patterns among Malaysian population, specifically on the right and left hands, gender, major ethnic groups and siblings. A total of 192 subjects in the age of 14 and above were involved. For public citizen, 96 subjects were selected from University Kebangsaan Malaysia Kampus Kuala Lumpur (UKMKKL) while 96 siblings were recruited from families around Kuala Lumpur. Ten fingerprints were collected from each subject and the pattern was classified into whorls, loops, arches and composites patterns. The study revealed the most likely fingerprint patterns to occur on a specific finger as well as in a specific ethnicity. Fingerprint patterns were dependent upon the finger on which they occur. Statistical analysis indicated that right and left hands could be distinguished by whorl pattern. However, fingerprint patterns did not show any differences between males and females. Loops and whorls were the most predominant pattern in all studied ethnic groups. Malays and Chinese had similar distributional patterns which was different with Indians. Fingerprint patterns showed a significant difference among three major ethnic groups (p < 0.01) especially on the left and right thumb, right index as well as right middle finger. Siblings demonstrated greater similarity of all fingerprint patterns than non-siblings except for the arch pattern. The present study suggested that fingerprint pattern could be inherited genetically but not linked to sex chromosome.