AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System) matching is based on which primary level of ridge detail?
- A Level 1 — overall ridge flow pattern (loops, whorls, arches)
- B Level 3 — individual pore morphology and ridge edge characteristics
- C Level 2 — minutiae (ridge endings, bifurcations, dots, short ridges) and their spatial relationships ✓
- D Level 4 — DNA extracted from epithelial cells in the latent print
Explanation
AFIS matching is based on Level 2 detail — the location and orientation of minutiae points (also called Galton details): ridge endings, bifurcations, dots, and short ridges. Level 1 (pattern class) narrows the database search. Level 3 (pores, ridge edges) is used for verification and enhancement when partial prints are incomplete for Level 2 comparison. AFIS does not use DNA — it is a friction ridge comparison system. The number of matching minutiae required for a legally admissible identification varies by jurisdiction (no universal threshold in India; most courts use 12–16 matching points).
Reference: The Essentials of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (Narayan Reddy), 34th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.