It's a genetic conditioon called polydactylism.
I suppose it could also be caused by drugs taken while a woman is pregnant. I believe that is called tetrageniscism. That's probably not spelled right, but it's been awhile since I studied this.
I believe one of the British royal houses had polydactylism in their line.
2006-12-19 15:25:43
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answer #1
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answered by blue.green_eyes 5
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The condition of polydactylism as been pretty well covered by others. I thought it was interesting to find it in the Bible. Perhaps this is what gives it a negative connotation, although there is no inherent reason to think people with this condition are any better or worse than the rest of us.
1 Chronicles 20:5 And there was war with the Philistines again, and Elhanan the son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.
6 Again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature who had twenty-four fingers and toes, six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot; and he also was descended from the giants.
7 When he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David's brother, killed him.
2006-12-20 03:24:41
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answer #2
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answered by Northstar 7
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Its actually a dominant genetic trait. For example, there is a person who has 12 fingers and they marry someone who has a normal 10 fingers. Lets say the parent with 12 fingers has the hetrozygous dominant genotype for fingers as Hh, and the other parent has the homozygous recessive genotype for fingers as hh. They have children. If you do a Punnett square, you see that half of their children will have 12 fingers, while the other half will have 10. Not many people have 12 fingers because a lot of people wouldn't even think of marrying someone with 12 fingers, therefore the trait isn't passed on.
2006-12-19 23:30:20
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answer #3
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answered by Anonymous
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Having more than 5 fingers or toes is called Polydactyly. It is a sort of a genetic defect. It may occur in families as a dominantly inherited trait that involves only one gene that can cause several variations. A parent who got the trait could possibly have a sibling with more fingers or toes.This usually does not indicate any genetic disease but can occur in conjunction with some genetic diseases. Check out the reference link for more.
(Seasons Greetings!
2006-12-19 23:49:56
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answer #4
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answered by ♥ lani s 7
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Check out the movie "The Princess Bride". Count Rugen has six fingers on his right hand.
2006-12-20 14:12:23
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answer #5
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answered by Amphibolite 7
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