A study on the inheritance of Hand Clasping, Arm folding

A study on the inheritance of Hand Clasping, Arm folding and
Handedness on two social groups of Indo-Nepal border (India)
Alok Chantia
Abstract
In this paper an effort has been made to investigate the resemblance of some genetic
inherited physical characters of two social groups of district Bahraich of U.P. (at Indo-
Nepal border) with other Indian population and some racial population of the world.
Modern man is differentiated into many racial groups after the evolution of Homo
sapiens and their physical features influence all racial groups, many physical parameters
have been used to identify these racial groups in the same way. Some physical features
like hand clasping, arm-folding and handedness are being associated with racial scenario
to see their utility in differentiation.
When individuals are asked to clap their hands, some people clasp their hands in such a
manner, that the fingers of the right hand remain above the corresponding ones of the left
hand (R/L or “R” individuals). While in other people the contrary was observed (L/R or
“L” individuals). In the similar manner, certain individuals fold their arms with the right
arm above, while among others reverse occurs. It is also clear that as per nature, right
type of handedness is predominant over the left type.
Since these traits are still on trial, no adequate conclusion regarding its utility has so far
been drawn, except showing inter-population and sexual variation. Lutz (1908) was the
first person to study the inheritance of the manner of clasping of hands. Chatopadhyaya
(1968 and 1970), Singh and Malhotra (1971), Swarapani (1971), Sambasiva Rao (1971),
Veeraju and Satyanarayan (1972), T.V. Rao and Reddy (1973) have studied arm folding.
While Tyagi (1969), K.N. Gupta (1971) and V.K. Tandon (1974) studied handedness in
various populations.
Pursuant to the above findings, the present paper describes the population variation of
these traits in two social groups of India.