McGrath J W, Cheverud J M, Buikstra J E
Am J Phys Anthropol. 1984 Aug;64(4):401-11. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.1330640405.
The use of nonmetric traits for estimation of biological distance is a long-standing practice in biological anthropology. Nonmetric traits can be scored using either the individual or the side of the individual as the unit of measure. If sides of the individual are genetically correlated the use of sides would produce redundant genetic information. For this reason, Korey (Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 53:19-23, 1980) argues for the use of individuals as the unit of measure for nonmetric traits. Ossenberg (Am. J. Phys, Anthropol. 54:471-479, 1981), however, argues that bilateral occurrence of nonmetric traits indicates greater genetic liability for the trait and that therefore the sides are the more biologically correct unit of measure. Genetic correlations for 13 cranial nonmetric traits are estimated for a sample of rhesus macaque skeletons from Cayo Santiago. In addition, heritability of asymmetry is estimated for these 13 traits as a test of Ossenberg's contention that asymmetry is genetically influenced. Significant genetic correlations between sides support Korey's contention that nonmetric traits should be scored by individual. Only two asymmetry heritabilities were significantly different from zero, providing no significant support for Ossenberg's contention that asymmetry is genetically determined. Our results support the theory that asymmetry represents a measure of the ability of an organism to buffer stresses. Therefore, a measure of the heritability of asymmetry is a measure of the heritability of the ability to buffer stresses. This ability does not appear to be heritable in this sample.
在生物人类学中，使用非测量性状来估计生物距离是一种由来已久的做法。非测量性状可以以个体或个体的一侧作为测量单位进行评分。如果个体的两侧存在基因相关性，那么使用两侧作为单位会产生冗余的遗传信息。出于这个原因，科里（《美国物理人类学杂志》53:19 - 23，1980）主张使用个体作为非测量性状的测量单位。然而，奥森伯格（《美国物理人类学杂志》54:471 - 479，1981）认为非测量性状的双侧出现表明该性状具有更大的遗传易感性，因此两侧是更符合生物学的测量单位。对来自圣地亚哥岛的恒河猴骨骼样本估计了13种颅骨非测量性状的基因相关性。此外，对这13种性状的不对称性遗传力进行了估计，以检验奥森伯格关于不对称性受基因影响的论点。两侧之间显著的基因相关性支持了科里的观点，即非测量性状应以个体为单位进行评分。只有两种不对称性遗传力显著不同于零，这并没有为奥森伯格关于不对称性由基因决定的论点提供显著支持。我们的结果支持了这样一种理论，即不对称性代表了生物体缓冲压力能力的一种度量。因此，对不对称性遗传力的测量就是对缓冲压力能力遗传力的测量。在这个样本中，这种能力似乎不可遗传。
