Like Father, Like Child? Paternal Age at Birth and Offspring’s Facial Asymmetry and Distinctiveness

Paternal age at birth, a potential proxy of mutation load transmitted to the offspring, has previously been related offspring’s health, biological condition and reproductive potential. As higher facial asymmetry distinctiveness serve as putative markers lower genetic quality an individual, we hypothesize that more advanced paternal birth will be children’s levels distinctiveness. To best our knowledge, this is first study evaluating link between in offspring. Based on archived photographs 159 children born within 47 Polish families, have conducted geometric morphometric measurements calculated The relationship features was explored with use Bayesian Linear Mixed-effects Models, controlling for sex, order maternal child’s birth. No associations or were found. lack such might result potentially insufficient influence newly accumulated mutations affecting phenotype importance (prenatal) postnatal environments shaping features.