A word for me! And some more words related to today's: I am a hand analyst (cheirologist), specializing in the meaning of fingerprints. These "dermatoglyphics" (literally, skin-carvings) occur not only on the fingertips, but also on the palm of the hand. I know how odd this sounds, but dermatoglyphics actually contain deep identity information, far beyond the kind of identification fingerprints are currently known for.

Laura Kennedy

how facinating...

i have a simian crease (on my right hand) --just the one (obviously)... and i've often wondered if that is common (or not) and if finger print fall into patterns (like whirls on right thumb and left (vs one thumb being loopy, and the other thumb being whirly..) -(and have just learned, about 1 in 30/ (and more common in males than females)

a simian crease is a line in the palm that travels, unbroken, from one side to the other--pairs (both hands) bode ill for the health of a child..(a single one is frequently a sign of some genetic defect, when its found in both hands, its is almost certain.

examining the palm is part of the normal general exam of a newborn)