title: Sexual dimorphism in finger ridge breadth measurements: a tool for sex estimation from fingerprints.
abstract: Previous research has demonstrated significant sexual dimorphism in friction ridge skin characteristics. This study uses a novel method for measuring sexual dimorphism in finger ridge breadths to evaluate its utility as a sex estimation method from an unknown fingerprint. Beginning and ending in a valley, the width of ten parallel ridges with no obstructions or minutia was measured in a sample of 250 males and females (N = 500). The results demonstrate statistically significant differences in ridge breadth between males and females (p < 0.001), with classification accuracy for each digit varying from 83.2% to 89.3%. Classification accuracy for the pooled finger samples was 83.9% for the right hand and 86.2% for the left hand, which is applicable for cases where the digit number cannot be determined. Weight, stature, and to a lesser degree body mass index also significantly correlate with ridge breadth and account for the degree of overlap between males and females.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, The University of Tennessee, 250 South Stadium Hall, Knoxville, TN, 37996-0720; Department of Anthropology, California State University, 400 West 1st Street, Chico, CA, 95929-0400.
authors.forename: Amy Z
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Mundorff
authors.forename: Eric J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Bartelink
authors.forename: Turhon A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Murad
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D003878:Dermatoglyphics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012727:Sex Characteristics
keywords: dermatoglyphics; fingerprints; forensic science; friction ridge breadth; friction ridge impressions; sex estimation; sexual dimorphism