The interest of principal component analysis for anthropological research of digital dermatoglyphs: Case of some Algerian and Mediterranean populations

Principal component analysis (PCA) is a powerful tool for compressing and synthesizing information in the processing of quantitative data from multivariate analysis. It is used in this study to help explore variations in digital dermatoglyphic patterns within some Algerian and Mediterranean populations as part of anthropological research. The PCA carried out in the male sex shows that the first axis, separates the North African populations on the side of the positive abscissa to which are added Andalusia with more whirlpools, and the other populations of the North of the Mediterranean on the side of the negative abscissa with more arcs (and ulnar loops for the female sex). The second axis clearly contrasts the populations of the South of the Mediterranean on the side of the positive ordinates with more vortices, and the populations of the North of the Mediterranean on the side of the negative ordinates with more radial and ulnar loops. The Algerian populations are close to each other and close to Tunisia and Andalusia (and Libya for the female sex). The affinity recorded between these populations can be explained by the cultural, anthropological, geographical mixing that has affected these regions over time.