DERMATOGLYPHICS IN PRIMATES 193 



are indicated by departures from the plan, including such 

 variants as suppression of individual configurational fields and 

 fusions of neighboring fields, (d) Approach to equally high 

 pattern intensities of the several configurational fields, singly 

 or grouped as described above, is an indication of primitive- 

 ness. Likewise an approach to equality in high total intensity 

 values of the palm and sole is evidence of primitiveness. 

 (e) Minor degrees of bilateral asymmetry in pattern intensity 

 are ranked as primitive, and increase in dextral and sinistral 

 differences points to specialization. 



Dermatoglyphics are subject to convergences in the evolu- 

 tionary process. In marsupials and prosimians, for example, 

 the dermatoglyphics cover a range of variation which may be 

 compared closely to that of New World monkeys, and what 

 is more to the point, the specific trends of variation comprised 

 in any one of these groups are closely matched in the others. 



The tracing of affinities is complicated by the apparent 

 independence of the structural expressions which give 

 measures of primitiveness and specialization. The different 

 criteria lead to different orders of resemblance and unlike- 

 ness among the forms compared. The divergent results are 

 summated, however, in arriving at judgments of relationship. 



9. The prosimians are heterogeneous; it should be noted 

 that the dermatoglyphics contraindicate simian origin from 

 a tarsier-like stem. Old World monkeys, with the exception 

 of langur, exhibit least specialization of dermatoglyphics; 

 in respect to expanse and character of patterns, they have 

 even exaggerated signs of primitiveness. The resemblance 

 of langur to some New World monkeys is closer than to other 

 Old World monkeys. The New World monkeys are diverse. 

 The most primitive members are the night monkey and 

 marmoset-like monkeys, the most specialized being the spider 

 monkey. The squirrel monkey and capuchin are neither so 

 primitive as the night monkey and marmoset-like forms nor 

 so specialized as the woolly monkey and howler. Gibbon is 

 the most specialized simian. The three great apes and man 

 present specializations which follow different directions. While 



