Poroscopy: an important research field in Medicine and Physical Anthropology

Dear Sir, Fingerprints are the imprints left on any material by the skin over the volar surface of the fingers. They are characterized by alternating strips of raised dermal ridges (cristae cutis) and furrows present in a variety of patterns with minute sweat pores appearing along the surface of the dermal ridges (1, 2). Poroscopy is the specialized study of these smallest anatomical structures (size, shape, type and relative position) (Figure 1) as a means of personal identification. It has proved to be an extremely valuable tool in forensic science (3–5), anthropological studies (6) and similarly an important component in the modern automated finger print recognition system (7). The details of a fingerprint are classified into three different categories. Level 1 includes the basic fingerprint patterns (loop, whorl, arch and accidental) and ridge flow. Level 2 includes Galton characteristics or minute points. Level 3 includes the fine features of a ridge including characteristics of sweat pores (7, 8). Poroscopy comes under the third level details, therefore is considered more accurate and reliable (9, 10). According to Locard the sweat pores present the triple characteristics of immutability, variety and perpetuity, which establish them as a means of personal identification (3, 11). Fingerprint patterns start to develop between the 5 th and 6 th week of gestation, and are fully formed by the 21 st