Question

Which of the following races has the characteristics of epicanthic fold in eyes?
(a)Caucasoid
(b)Negroid
(c)Mongoloid
(d)Both B and C

Answer 1

Hint: Epicanthic eyes have an epicanthic fold above and are characteristic of people mainly from Asia and America and occur very frequently among the Bhutanese, Northeast Indians, and certain Adivasi tribes of Eastern India.

Complete answer:
The race called Mongoloids has the characteristic of epicanthic fold in the eyes. The other races mentioned don't have this characteristic.
Epicanthic fold is a skin fold of the upper eyelid covering the inner corner of the eyes and is found in 4 varieties namely epicanthus supraciliaris, epicanthus palpebralis, epicanthus tarsalis, and epicanthus inversus. The supraciliaris one runs from the brow and curves downwards. Palpebralis begins above the upper tarsus to extend to the orbital rim. Tarsalis starts at the upper eyelid crease and merges with skin near the medial canthus. Inversus starts from the lower eyelid skin and goes over the medial canthus and extends to the upper lid. The tarsalis one is seen in the case of Mongoloid and currently found in East Asians.

Additional Information: Mongolians are indigenous to most of Asia, Polynesia, and the Americas and are an outdated historical grouping of people which is regarded as highly offensive nowadays. The term Mongolian was first introduced by Christoph Meiners who believed that these are weak in body and spirit, bad or lacking in virtue. Scientifically, the Mongoloids have a round head shape, medium nasal aperture, massive cheekbones, simple cranial structure, epicanthic eyes, and a flat face.
Negroid is also an outdated historical grouping of people that includes characteristics like dark skin, tightly curled hair, dark brown to the yellowish cornea, broad and flat nose, and large teeth. These are indigenous to South Africa and South and Southeast Asia.
Another outdated historical grouping, the Caucasoid includes ancient and modern populations from Europe, Western, central and south Asia, North Africa, and the horn of Africa. These are characterized by thin nasal aperture, smallmouth, orthognathic, etc.
Therefore, the correct answer is “Mongoloid”.

Note: From the evolutionary point of view, epicanthic eyes are considered to be associated with a greater level of fat deposition around the eyeball and the adipose tissue provides greater insulation for the eye and sinuses from the effect of cold climates, especially from freezing winds. Therefore, the appearance of Epicanthic fold in Asian people is linked to connection with cold-adapted ancestors, and in the case of African people, it is linked to the protection of eyes from the high level of ultraviolet rays found in desert and semi-desert areas.