Galton characteristics include which items?

• A. ridge endings
• B. island
• C. endings, bifurcation, dot, island, enclosures
• D. edge shape

Answer: (C)

In fingerprint analysis, Galton’s characteristics are specific ridge minutiae used to describe the fine details of how ridges run and terminate. The most informative set includes several distinct features: ridge endings (where a ridge comes to an end), bifurcations (where a ridge splits into two), dots or very short ridges, islands (isolated short ridges), and enclosures (loops that form a closed area). This combination covers the variety of small ridge patterns that Galton identified.

Choosing a list that includes all of these—endings, bifurcations, dot, island, and enclosures—captures the full range of Galton’s features. Focusing on just one feature, like ridge endings, or on a feature not part of Galton’s set, such as edge shape, misses other important minutiae and isn’t as complete a description of what Galton cataloged.