Phylogenetic Insights into Fingerprints Trait Variation: A Comprehensive Analysis of Eastern Libyan Populations

Abstract

This study investigates fingerprints patterns to explore genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships for five eastern Libyan subpopulations: Benghazi, Albydah, Marj, Derna, and Jalu-Awjila. Fingerprints patterns on fingers serves as a valuable tool for understanding genetic differentiation and evolutionary history. Fingerprint data from 620 individuals were analyzed by using the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and two based distance phylogenetic methods: Neighbor-Joining (NJ) and Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA). The outcome of the phylogenetic trees was genetic clustering of three subpopulations in Benghazi, Albydah, and Marj due to shared ancestry and historical interactions. The Derna subpopulation was moderately genetically differentiated, while Jalu-Awjila was the most genetically divergent population, perhaps due to demographic isolation.
These findings were also verified through PCA analysis, in which the first two principal components accounted for 75.39% of the variance. According to fingerprint pattern frequency, three subpopulations Benghazi, Albydah, and Marj clustered together closely and they represent the most variable fingerprints, while Derna formed distinct group and Jalu-Awjila demonstrated unique Fingerprint characteristics. These results could indicate to the influence of demographic isolation, migration, and selection pressures on Eastern Libyan genetic variation. This study mainly highlights the efficacy of dermatoglyphics in mapping human subpopulation structure.