Fluctuating asymmetry

Fluctuating Asymmetry

Fluctuating asymmetry refers to small random deviations from perfect symmetry in bilaterally paired structures; it is thought to reflect an organism’s ability to cope with genetic and environmental stress during development and its utility as an indicator of such stresses is based on the assumption that perfect symmetry is an a priori expectation for the ideal state of bilateral structures. Flu...

The ontogeny of fluctuating asymmetry.

We tested seven hypotheses regarding the mechanisms by which fluctuating asymmetry (FA) originates. We did this by analyzing data on four bilateral characters measured repeatedly during the development of individual domestic fowl. Immediately posthatching, there was substantial directional asymmetry, which rapidly decreased. We detected FA at significant levels in all characters in the majority...

Fluctuating dermatoglyphic asymmetry in psychotic twins.

Fluctuating asymmetry of bilateral morphological traits is the result of prenatal developmental instability and has been shown to be greater in organisms having more homozygous genotypes (aabb vs. AaBb, for example). This expected increase in fluctuating asymmetry has been found among individuals having a high degree of liability for schizophrenia, as this disorder appears to have a polygenic b...

Fluctuating Asymmetry in Crayfish Populations Inhabiting

Fluctuating Asymmetry of Human Populations: A Review

Fluctuating asymmetry, the random deviation from perfect symmetry, is a widely used population-level index of developmental instability, developmental noise, and robustness. It reflects a population’s state of adaptation and genomic coadaptation. Here, we review the literature on fluctuating asymmetry of human populations. The most widely used bilateral traits include skeletal, dental, and faci...