Polydactylism (possessing more than five fingers per hand) within the Amish population in Pennsylvania isconsidered an example of the founder effect. This is because the frequency of polydactylism among the Amish in Pennsylvania is identical to its frequency among the Amish population in Germany.

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The founder effect refers to the reduced genetic diversity that occurs when a population is descended from a small number of colonizing ancestors. Polydactylism among the Amish in Pennsylvania is considered an example of the founder effect not because its frequency is identical to that in Germany, but because it is more common in the Amish population due to the small size of the initial group of Amish settlers in Pennsylvania, which led to a higher prevalence of certain genetic traits, including polydactylism, within the population.

Polydactylism (Possessing More Than Five Fingers Per Hand) Within the Amish