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Sex Differences in the Inheritance of Some Anthropometric Characters in Twins

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

P. Clarke ,
R. Jardine ,
N.G. Martin ,
A.E. Stark  and
R.J. Walsh
P. Clarke
Affiliation:
School of Human Genetics, University of New South Wales, Sydney
R. Jardine
Affiliation:
Department of Population Biology, Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra
N.G. Martin*
Affiliation:
Department of Population Biology, Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra
A.E. Stark
Affiliation:
School of Human Genetics, University of New South Wales, Sydney
R.J. Walsh
Affiliation:
School of Human Genetics, University of New South Wales, Sydney
*
Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra 2601, Australia

Abstract

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Biometrical genetical techniques have been applied to the analysis of certain anthropometric characters measured in 134 pairs of adult twins. After allowing for assortative mating it appears that there is a family environment (E2) component for variation in height larger than previously reported. “Fatness” traits – weight, ponderal index, and skinfold thickness – all show higher heritabilities in males and substantial E2 components in females, and reasons for this are discussed. The same is true for cephalic index and forearm length but the reason for these differences is not so obvious. Head length shows a much higher heritability than head breadth. A larger sample of DZ opposite-sex pairs would allow more powerful discrimination, but the variety of patterns of variation revealed by the model-fitting approach used here justify its use over more traditional techniques.

Keywords

HeightWeightCephalic indexSex differencesTwins
Type
Research Article
Information
Acta geneticae medicae et gemellologiae: twin research , Volume 29 , Issue 3 , July 1980 , pp. 171 - 192
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society for Twin Studies 1980

References

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