Sains Malaysiana 38(6)(2009): 947–952

Dermatoglyphics: Comparison between Negritos Orang Asli

and the Malays, Chinese and Indian

(Dermatoglifik: Perbandingan antara Orang Asli Negrito dengan Kaum Melayu, Cina dan India)

Endom Ismail*, Shairah Abdul Razak, Lieyana Selamat, Ravindran a/l Gurusamy, Hasmarini Zariman, Mohd Shahrizan Shahrudin, Farahnaz Amini,

School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, D.E., Malaysia

Yosni Bakar, Shukor Md Nor & Mohamad Osman

School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor D. E., Malaysia

Received: 27 November 2008 / Accepted: 27 February 2009

ABSTRACT

Dermatoglyphic traits are formed under genetic control during early gestation and do not change through the entire life. A few studies have shown that dermatoglyphic traits were conservative in their evolution and were different between and within population groups. The objective of this study was to compare the variability of palm dermatoglyphs in three main populations i.e. Malay, Chinese, Indian and five sub-ethnic population of Negritos’ Orang Asli i.e. Bateq, Jahai, Kintak, Kensiu and Lanoh. We utilised fingerprints and palms of 390 healthy adult individuals, counted the total ridge for ten fingers (TRC), a-b ridge counts (a-b RC) on palms, examined widening of the atd-angle, and classified the digital pattern configuration of arches, whorls, ulnar, and radial loops for all fingers. Variables obtained from both palm did not show any differences between males and females for all populations. TRC, a-b RC and atd-angle were the highest for Kensiu and were later on specially described to be in a group of its own by ANOVA and TUKEY test for TRC and a-b RC. The same test has put Chinese in a group of its own for atd-angle. Only a-b RC clearly separate Orang Asli populations from the three main races. Whorls and ulnar loops were the most predominant pattern in all groups. Malays and Chinese had similar distributional patterns for each ten fingers. Indian and Jahai similarly mimic each other, while Bateq has the reversal pattern distribution to them both. Kintak and Lanoh halfly mimics each other pattern and Kensiu had its own unique pattern. In conclusion, races, patterns, and pattern frequencies were related to each other and can be used to differentiate different races or Orang Asli sub-ethnics. This study documents for the first time the comparative dermatoglyphic traits between Malaysian main races with Orang Asli populations show a list of informative variables that can be used to identify them as well as suggesting it’s used as a tool in tracing the etnohistorical background of populations.

Keywords: Dermatoglyphic; Orang Asli; Negritos

ABSTRAK

Ciri-ciri dermatoglifik terbentuk di bawah pengaruh genetik semasa proses perkembangan awal dan tidak berubah sepanjang hayat. Kajian lepas menunjukkan ciri-ciri dermatoglifik terpelihara semasa evolusi dan berbeza di antara dan di dalam populasi manusia. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk mengkaji perbezaan variasi dermatoglifik tapak tangan bagi tiga kaum iaitu Melayu, Cina dan India dan 5 sub-etnik populasi Orang Asli Negrito iaitu Bateq, Jahai, Kintak, Kensiu dan Lanoh. Kami menggunakan cap jari dan tapak tangan daripada 390 individu dewasa yang normal dan sihat tubuh badan diikuti dengan pengiraan jumlah bilangan permatang bagi sepuluh jari, bilangan permatang a-b, sudut ATD dan pengelasan corak pada setiap jari kepada lengkung pusaran, ulnar, radial dan lengkung. Variasi yang diperoleh daripada kedua-dua tapak tangan bagi lelaki dan perempuan dalam semua populasi tidak menunjukkan perbezaan. Jumlah pengiraan permatang setiap sepuluh jari, bilangan permatang a-b dan sudut atd adalah tertinggi bagi suku etnik Kensiu yang kemudiannya merupakan populasi tersendiri melalui ujian ANOVA dan Tukey bagi jumlah kiraan permatang setiap sepuluh jari dan bilangan permatang a-b. Ujian yang sama telah mengasingkan kaum Cina dalam kumpulan yang berbeza berdasarkan sudut atd. Hanya bilangan permatang a-b membezakan Orang Asli daripada tiga kaum utama di Malaysia. Pusaran dan Ulnar merupakan corak yang paling dominan bagi semua populasi. Lengkung Melayu dan Cina menunjukkan taburan pembahagian corak yang hampir sama untuk setiap jari. Kaum India dan suku etnik Jahai mempunyai taburan pembahagian corak yang hampir sama manakala suku etnik Bateq mempunyai taburan pembahagian corak bertentangan berbanding kedua-dua populasi kaum India dan suku etnik Jahai. Kintak dan Lanoh pula mempamerkan separuh persamaan antara satu sama lain dan Kensiu mempunyai corak cap jarinya yang tersendiri. Kesimpulannya, sub-etnik kaum, corak dan frekuensi corak mempunyai perkaitan antara satu sama lain dan boleh digunakan untuk membezakan kaum atau etnik-etnik Orang Asli. Kajian ini merupakan kajian yang pertama dijalankan untuk mengkaji perbezaan perwarisan dermatoglifik di antara kaum-kaum utama di Malaysia dengan populasi Orang Asli yang menunjukkan pelbagai informasi bagi mengenalpasti mereka dan mencadangkan penggunaannya sebagai satu alat untuk mengesan sejarah latarbelakang sesuatu populasi.

Kata kunci: Dermatoglifik; Orang Asli; Negrito

REFERENCES

Cummins, H. & Midlo, C. 1961. Finger Prints, Palms and Soles: An Introduction to Dermatoglyphic. New York: Dover Publication.

GutiŽrrez-Redomero, E., Alonso, C., Romero, E. & Galera, V. 2008. Variability of Fingerprint Ridge Density in a Sample of Spanish Caucasians and Its Application to Sex Determination. Forensic Sci. Int. 180(1): 17-22.

Karmakar, B., Yakovenko, K. & Kobyliansky, E. 2008. Quantitative Digital and Palmar Dermatoglyphics: Sexual Dimorphism in the Chuvashian Population of Russia. Homo 59(4): 317-28.

Milicic, J. & Vidovic, M. 2005. Latent Structure of Dermatoglyphs in the Population of Selska Valley. Human Biology 56: 161-172

Khatijah, M.A. 2001. Kaum Negrito. Adakah Paras Rupa, Fenotip, dan Genotipnya Mempunyai Persamaan dengan Kaum Lain di Malaysia? BSc Thesis UKM.

*Corresponding author: eismail@ukm.my