Dermal Ridges
Dermal ridges, or friction ridges, or dermatoglyphics, are raised portions of the dermis and overlying epidermis characterizing the palmar (palm and 'front' of fingers) and plantar (sole and bottom of toes) skin of primates. Impressions of dermal ridges as found on fingers produce fingerprints. Some rodents also have similar but less developed strict dermal ridges which do not extend into the epidermis(1).
A small percentage of purported sasquatch footprint casts exhibit what appear to be dermal ridge impressions, as described by Grover Krantz in his book “Big Footprints” (1992) and discussed by Jimmy Chilcutt at the Willow Creek International Bigfoot Symposium in 2003.
In 1988 anthropologist John Bodley discussed how dermal ridges could easily be faked in purported sasquatch tracks, and Matt Crowley reported in 2005 that spontaneous casting artifacts resembling dermal ridges could be formed under certain conditions.
