A study on sexual dimorphism in fingerprint ridge density among medical students of Nellore south coastal district of Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

Fingerprints are unique, and each fingerprint of an individual differs from another. Studies were conducted to know how various factors like Race, Sex, and certain disorders influence fingerprint patterns. Similary, the number of ridges present in an area of palms and fingers and their variations were also studied. To study the sexual variations in fingerprint ridge density among medical students studying in Narayana Medical college from Andhra Pradesh. Fingerprints of one hundred and twenty medical students (sixty male and sixty female) were analyzed for this study. The mean ridge density in males is 128.5 (Range 124 -134) for ten digits, and in females, the mean ridge density for ten fingers is 148. 67 and (Range 145 -153). Average ridge density for 0.25sq.cm. in Male:Female is 12.85:14.86. The females exhibit higher ridge density than males; ridge density of more than 14 ridges of a finger in a 0.25 sq. mm area indicates that the finger likely belongs to a female.