Directional and fluctuating asymmetry among !Kung San and Kavango people of Northern Namibia: The impact of sex and subsistence patterns.

OBJECTIVES

The impact of sex and subsistence on fluctuating and directional asymmetry patterns was tested among !Kung San and Kavango people from northern Namibia.

METHODS

Fluctuating and directional asymmetry from 6 paired traits were measured in a sample of 236 !Kung San and 248 Kavango people aged 18 to 65 years in the Kavango district and the Nyae-Nyae area of northern Namibia. Signed asymmetry, absolute and relative asymmetry, as well as composite fluctuating and directional asymmetry, were calculated.

RESULTS

Males of both ethnic groups exhibited higher fluctuating asymmetry in comparison to their female counterparts. Marked differences in directional asymmetry of the upper extremities were found between !Kung San and Kavango people. The !Kung San people showed a significantly higher directional asymmetry than the Kavango people.

CONCLUSIONS

Foraging subsistence increased directional asymmetry of the upper extremities among males as well as females. In contrast, higher fluctuating asymmetry-indicating a higher degree of developmental instability-was found among males independent of subsistence group.