Hair, Fingerprints, and Minutiae Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering hair structure, fingerprint patterns, and minutiae ridge details based on lecture notes.

Cuticle

The outermost layer of hair that resembles the shingles of a roof and is important for species differentiation.

Cortex

The middle layer of hair composed of a durable protein (keratin) and pigments responsible for hair coloration, which is significant for distinguishing between individuals.

Keratin

A durable protein that composes the cortex of hair.

Medulla

The innermost layer of hair that may be present or absent, and whose structure can be continuous or fragmented if present.

Dermal Papillae

Structures projected from the dermis to the epidermis that cause unique fingerprints.

Loop

A fingerprint pattern that must have one or more ridges that enter and leave on the same side and at least one delta, named for its opening position relative to the ulna or radius bones.

Whorl

A fingerprint pattern that has at least one ridge that makes (or tends to make) a complete circuit and contains at least two deltas.

Double Loop Whorls

A fingerprint pattern made up of any two loops combined into one print.

Accidental Whorl

A fingerprint pattern containing two or more patterns (not including the plain arch) that does not clearly fall under any other categories, typically having more than two deltas.

Plain Whorl

A whorl fingerprint pattern in which some of the curved ridges touch a line drawn between the deltas.

Arch

A fingerprint pattern type whose sub-types include Plain and Tented.

Minutiae

Tiny fingerprint ridge details used for identification.

Ten Common Minutiae

The specific fingerprint ridge details identified as Ridge Ending, Fork, Hook, Eye, Short Ridge, Double Fork, Dot, Bridge, Delta, and Triple Fork.