A Study of Fingernail Plate Shape and Fingerprint Pattern among the Yala Indigenes of Cross River State

Background /Aim: The uniqueness and consistency of fingerprints throughout life are some of the features used for personal identification. This study aims to generate data for fingernail plate shape and fingerprint pattern to determine the following indices: Furuhata's index, Dankmeijer's index, and Pattern intensity index using the frequency distribution of the required fingerprint pattern of Yala indigenes in Cross River State. 
Methodology: The three indices of the current research study for both males and females Furuhata's index for females was 39.7% and 24.57% for males, the Dankmeijer's index for females was 41.8% and 32% for males, while the Pattern intensity index for females was 4.58% and 7.11% for males, in contrast, the Dankmeijer's index shows a greater value in males. Four hundred and thirty subjects (258 males and 172 females) participated in the study. A conventional method of using an ink pad was used to collect the fingerprint of the ten digits; the vernier caliper was also used to measure the nail plate shape of the thumb, index, and middle finger.  
Results: The result of the study showed that males had 50.5% ulnar loop pattern, 27.3% whorl pattern, 13.3% radial loop pattern, and 8.6% arches Pattern. For females, 61.2% ulnar loop pattern, 25.0% whorl, 10.5% arch pattern, 1.7% radial loop pattern, and 1.6% double loop whorl pattern, while comparing both sexes, the Female has a high percentage of ulnar loop than their male counterparts.  
Conclusion: Furthermore, the finger's nail plate shape in both sexes of the Yala population is a rectangular-shaped pattern in the thumb, index, middle, and ring finger. These findings will help in creating a database of fingerprints for easy identification, reference purpose, research, and forensic investigation when the need arises.