Which term describes a ridge that bifurcates and then forks into a ridge?

• A. Ending Ridge
• B. Ridge Island
• C. Bifurcation
• D. Divergence

Answer: (B)

In fingerprint minutiae, recognizing how ridges split and connect helps describe specific ridge patterns. A ridge island refers to a small, isolated ridge segment that stands between longer ridges, effectively forming a tiny “island” of ridge. This can appear after a bifurcation as a short ridge that continues on its own, giving the impression of a forked path that becomes its own ridge. Among the terms, this best matches the idea of a ridge that bifurcates and then forks into a ridge, producing that isolated ridge feature.

Ending ridge describes a ridge that ends with no continuation, which isn’t about forking into another ridge. Bifurcation is the fork itself, not the subsequent ridge that continues as its own feature. Divergence isn’t a standard descriptor for this pattern.