Fingerprints on Reptile Skin

[Cameron]

One of my work colleagues in Fingerprint Operations has recently completed a study on the development of friction ridge skin on the skin (both living and deceased) of some 42 different species of snake, lizard and Alligator. Her results were quite promising in obtaining identifiable Fingerprints. Of all the species examined she did not get results in only 6 cases.

Some of the species she did get results on included American Corn Snake, Alligator, Brown Snake and several Pythons.

This seems promising for the detection of fingerprints on reptiles located trying to be exported illegally.

If you would like further information in relation to her results or processes, she is happy to discuss this. Post on the forum your questions and I will pass them on.

Cameron

[Ann Horsman]

Neat study but most reptiles have rough scales so I imagine this might work only on species with extremely smooth skin. It would not work on these (some of my kids ):





Which species were live subjects and of the dead ones was the skin preserved or frozen? Also, knowing how scales overlap and flex with body movement I would wonder if there is significant loss of developed ridge detail if when the fingerprint was deposited on a flexed portion of the animal's body?

I imagine large wild caught lizards like monitors, big angry pythons and hots like most of your native snakes would not be handled with human hands at all. I think most boot leg reptiles are thrown into bags in large numbers and their struggling would wipe a lot of 'evidence'.

I hope Glenda publishes her article, it would be an interesting read for me.

[Gerald Clough]

I recall this being done some years ago. Maybe someone remembers just where it was posted. All I find right now is this one - bottom of the page.
http://www.scafo.org/Online_Information/unusual.html

I wonder if it's a good candidate for GellLifter, since it's worked well for me on scaled painted surfaces.

[Cameron]

I have just spoken to Glenda and she has provided me with a list of the animals examined ( and those which were alive and dead). All the live animals were powdered. The deceased animals were frozen and then defrosted at room temperature and the fingerprints deposited and then treated by Cyanoacrylate fuming and Rhodamine staining.

• Long Neck Turtle
• Blue Tongue Lizard
• Shingleback Lizard
• Olive Python
• Albino Blue Tongue
• Shingleback Lizard
• Carpet Python
• Blackheaded Python x2
• Woma Python X2
• Carpet Python
• Water Python
• Blue Tongue
• Diamond Python
• Yellow Rat Snake
• Boa
• Spotted Python
• American Corm Snake
• Alligator
• Burmese Python
• Blue Tongue Lizard
• Shingleback Lizard
• Boa
• Blue Tongue Lizard X2
• Burmese Python X2
• Taiwan Beauty Snake

• Shingleback Lizard X2 (Dead)
• Blue Tongue X2 (Dead)
• Diamond Python (Dead)
• Longneck Turtle (Dead)
• Red Belly Black snake (Dead)
• Brown snake (Dead)

• American Corm Snake
• Olive Python
• Hybrid (Diamond x Carpet)
• Children’s Python
• Baby Boa
• Fresh water Crocodile
• American Corm snake
• Anaconda
• Black Headed Python


Any other questions feel free, I am happy to pass on any and all information.