TABLE OF CONTENTS 



Introduction 1 



Material 4 



Descriptive morphology 7 



Epidermal ridges 7 



Distribution and functions 7 



Ridge breadth 12 



The basic plan of volar pads and of dermatoglyphic con- 

 figurations 16 



Observations on pads and configurations 23 



Departures from the basic plan 99 



Volar pads 99 



Configurational fields 104 



General ridge courses 112 



Caudal dermatoglyphics 114 



Pattern intensity 117 



Total intensity 120 



Regional pattern intensities . 127 



Individual configurational fields 127 



Interrelationships of groups of configurational fields . 132 



Relationships to the anatomical axis 140 



Bilateral asymmetry 145 



Discussion 156 



The conditioning of specific configurations 156 



Criteria of primitiveness and modification 161 



Affinities among the primates . . . . 168 



Premises 168 



Generic and group comparisons 175 



Summary 188 



Literature cited . 194 



