The analysis of population structure based on morphometric dimensions of metacarpal bones (the Island of Krk, Croatia).
The aim of this study was to investigate: 1) a possibility of using the morphometric dimensions of metacarpal bones for approximation of biological distances, and 2) a relationship of biological matrices, based on the morphometric dimensions of metacarpal bones to other biological (dermatoglyphic, genetic), bio-cultural (migration) and geographic variables. The morphometry of the metacarpal bones was performed according to Barnett and Nordin procedure and biological distances were estimated using Mahalanobis D2 method. Population structure was assessed through Mantel's permutation test using E2 genetic distances for classical serogenetic markers, DA genetic distances for HLA, DSW genetic distances for STRs, geographic distances expressed in kilometres, and migration kinship matrix estimated according to the method proposed by Malécot and modified by Morton. This study clearly indicated the need for applying factorial analytical approach to study the factor structure of morphometric variables that may be measured on six metacarpal bones as well as the need for conducting complex family and segregation analyses to address not only the intriguing issue of genetic vs. ecological impact onto the bone mineral turnover, but also to test the hypothesis of major gene control in determining bone mineral density.
Institute for Anthropological Research, Zagreb, Croatia.
I M
IM
Klarić
F
F
Lovasić
B
B
Budiselić
T
T
Skarić-Jurić
L
L
Szirovicza
A
A
Chaventré
D000328:Adult; D017523:Croatia; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050279:Metacarpal Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology*