Research Article

Sexual dimorphism in hand anthropometry and second-to-fourth digit ratio among Kanuri ethnic group of Maiduguri Borno State, Nigeria

Abstract

Information generated from hand dimensions has provided essential data for individual identification, sex determination, ergonomics, population variation studies, forensics, etc. This has necessitated the characterization of hand proportions from additional human groups to broaden the landscape of hand anthropometry within Nigeria and beyond. The aim of this study is to determine sexual dimorphism in some hand dimensions and digit ratio among Kanuri tribe in Maiduguri, Borno state Nigeria. A total of four hundred and five (405) subjects (203 males and 202 females) were recruited for this study, aged 17-30 years from the College of Nursing and Midwifery and College of Health and Technology Maiduguri. Parameters collected were: hand length (HL), palm length (PL), hand breadth (HB), palm breadth (PB), 2D and 4D lengths using a palm print scanner (HP Deskjet 1515 model). The data were compared between groups using student’s t-test, SPSS version 22.0 software was used for statistical analyses, and P <0.05 was set as the level of significance. Data analyzed showed that Kanuri males had higher (p <0.001) mean hand dimension values compared to their female counterparts. However, the Kanuri females had higher (p <0.001) mean 2D:4D ratio values compared to their male counterparts. There was sexual dimorphism in hand dimensions and the second-to-fourth digit ratio of Kanuri tribe, which could be useful for the determination of sex, forensic, and criminal situations when a hand is detected in mass disasters such as car accidents, homicide, suicide, etc. Also provide more insight into biological variation with the inclusion of this group.