DERMATOGLYPHICS IN PRIMATES 25 



V, Vestige a local disturbance of ridge direction, 

 such as a local rectilinear system having a direction 

 different from the region which it adjoins, an abrupt 

 convergence of ridges, etc. A vestige, as here formu- 

 lated, has no definable relation to a particular type 

 of true pattern (L, W or S, see below). The term 

 vestige is not intended to imply an actual evolutionary 

 status. 



T, Tented arch a system of ridges coursing 

 parallel to the radiants of a triradius; ridges are 

 abruptly reflected to form a pocket enveloping the 

 entire length of one radiant. 



L, Loop characterized by the arrangement of 

 ridges in looped courses, one extremity of the pat- 

 tern (the "head") being thus "closed" by abruptly 

 recurved ridges, the opposite end being "open". 

 Types of loops are distinguished by the directions of 

 their open extremities, indicated by superscripts, the 

 initial letters of their directions : distal, proximal, 

 radial, ulnar, fibular, tibial either singly or in com- 

 binations which describe slants. 



W, Whorl a circular or elliptic figure, distin- 

 guished by concentricity of the component ridges. 



S, Double-looped figure the loops generally ap- 

 pearing interlocked and with their heads facing op- 

 posite directions. 



In the original formulations three grades of pat- 

 tern development are distinguished in loops, whorls 

 and S-patterns. The most frequent grade in all these 

 types is a well-developed pattern calling for no special 

 characterization. When the construction is not quite 

 perfected we formulate the pattern as "degenerate", 

 and if the configuration is still more imperfect it is 

 qualified as "vestigial". These grades of pattern ex- 

 pression are not distinguished in the condensed tabu- 

 lations which follow. Under each of the chief pattern 



