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Size reduction associated with brachymesophalangia‐5: A possible selective advantage
Author(s) -
Garn Stanley M.,
Nagy Jerrold M.,
Poznanski Andrew K.,
McCann Mary B.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/ajpa.1330370211
Subject(s) - reduction (mathematics) , caloric theory , numerical digit , malnutrition , calorie , contrast (vision) , medicine , short stature , biology , endocrinology , physiology , mathematics , arithmetic , geometry , artificial intelligence , computer science
Subjects with brachymesophalangia‐5 (the short middle segment trait of the fifth digit) are systematically reduced in the length of the second metacarpal and in stature, by approximately 0.5 standard deviations, in contrast with unaffected individuals or unaffected siblings of affected propositi. There is conclusive evidence for axial and appendicular length reduction in affected individuals, and the smaller body size associated with brachymesophalangia‐5 may confer a selective advantage during growth under conditions of chronic caloric or protein‐calorie malnutrition.