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Not only do primates have fingerprints and toeprints, some even have tailprints. A few of the New World monkeys (those found in Central and South America) have prehensile tails, which means that they can use their tails to grasp objects. Parts of their tails feature dermal ridges, the fine lines you see when you look closely at your fingers. According to an article from naturalSCIENCE, fingerprints, also known as dermatoglyphes, are "typical for higher primates, but occur sporadically in other mammals." Koala bears have fingerprints, with dermal ridges on part of their palms,
unlike the palms of humans and primates, which are thoroughly covered with ridges. Scientists believe fingerprints serve two purposes -- they allow us to grasp objects better by providing added friction, and they increase the sense of touch. Just as in humans, the fingerprints of primates are unique. While closely related individuals may have similar sets, fingerprints develop in utero, early in gestation, and are affected by the environment in the womb and by random variation. Even identical twins don't have the same set of fingerprints. Recent advances in science have raised the question of whether or not clones would have the same fingerprints. A
study on monkeys produced by nuclear transfer (a process similar to cloning) suggests that even cloned organisms have unique prints. If primate prints are your cup of tea, you'll definitely want to read about the expert who is using primate footprints to corroborate the existence of Big Foot.
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