Basic Shapes and Patterns

There are eight types of patterns that can be found on your fingertips, however, the size or number of ridges that make up this pattern can be variate from person to person. The first pattern is called a plain arch and looks almost like a little hill made up of the ridges on your fingers. A tented arch looks kind of like a tent as it is made up of ridges that go straight up and then straight down. These two types of arches make up about five percent of the prints collected so far. There are three types of loop patterns, which make up seventy percent of the patterns collected, that can be found after taking a fingerprint. A ular loop makes a loop that faces the right while a radial loop makes a loop the faces to the right. The other type of loop pattern is called a central pocket loop which is a loop around a circle, usually located in the middle of your finger. The last three types of patterns are called whorl patterns and make up about twenty five to thity five percent of the patterns collected. The first type of whorl is called a plain whorl as it basically makes a simple swirl aroung your finger started in the center. A double loop whorl is made up of two distinct loops that go in opposite directions along your fingertip. The finally type of whorl is called an accidental whorl which is made up of a big swirl going around a center swirl, usually to the right. These eight types of prints can be found on anyone's fingers, however, everyone has their own unique set depending on which pattern you have on what finger. the patterns found on your fingertips are for life and even if you were to cut off the pads of your finger when your skin grows back the patterns will grow back as well!

For more information see: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/identifying-fingerprint-patterns-types-of-fingerprints.html