Shoulder - The point of a loop’s recurving ridge where it curves back around. Ridge counter - A handheld, pointed tool used for counting the number of ridges during fingerprint analysis. Print - The mark made by a finger or thumb on a surface or in a soft material such as wax or wet paint can be patent (surface-visible), latent (surface-invisible), or plastic (3-dimensional in soft material).

Loupe - A small, often frame-mounted magnifier used for examining fingerprint detail. Loop - A type of print pattern in which one or more friction ridges enter on one side of the print, curve up and around and back down, then flow out on the same side of the print from which it entered types can be divided into left slant loops and right slant loops or, if the source of the print is known to be a specific hand (the left or right), into radial loops (the pattern flows in the direction of the radius bone of the forearm, toward the thumb) and ulnar loops (the pattern flows in the direction of the ulna bone of the forearm, toward the little finger). Īrch, plain - A type of print pattern in which the friction ridges enter on one side of the print and flow out the other side with a rise or wave in the center.Īrch, tented - A type of print pattern similar to the plain arch but that possesses an angle, upthrust (central rise), or two of the three basic characteristics of the loop.Ĭyanoacrylate - The primary (>98%) component of super glue it is used in a fuming technique to develop latent (invisible) prints on a variety of surfaces so they can be photographed.Ĭore - A structure in the print that is the center line or lines of the print it is important for conducting ridge counts.ĭelta - A point in loop and whorl prints that lies within an often triangular, three-pronged or funnel-shaped structure it is the part of a ridge nearest the point where two parallel ridge lines (the “type” lines) diverge to flow around the loop or whorl loop patterns have one delta, which is the starting point for conducting a ridge count, and whorls have two or more, which are important for determining the whorl type.įriction ridge - The raised portion of the skin of the print, consisting of one or more connected ridges.įurrow - A valley or depression between friction ridges. Additional terms can be found on the SWGFAST website. The Scientific Working Group on Friction Ridge Analysis, Study and Technology (SWGFAST) maintains a list of terms generally used and accepted within the fingerprint analysis community.

Right loop fingerprint