Which animal has fingerprints closest to the humans?

Time of India

2 days ago

In the dense eucalyptus forests of Australia, a small, slow-moving marsupial harbors a biological secret so strange that it has puzzled scientists and even threatened to mislead crime scene investigators.
Koalas, the cuddly icons of Down Under, possess fingerprints that are astonishingly similar to those of humans. So much so that even under a microscope, experts have difficulty telling them apart.
This remarkable discovery has not only captivated biologists and evolutionary theorists but has also sparked curiosity among forensic scientists. How can a creature so evolutionarily distant from humans develop such an intricate and human-like trait? The answer lies in a fascinating process called convergent evolution.
A matter of touch: The role of fingerprints
Fingerprints are not just unique personal identifiers. They serve a vital biological function. In humans, these rigid patterns improve our grip and enhance our sense of touch. The same principle applies to koalas.
Koalas spend nearly all their lives climbing and clinging to trees. Their primary diet of eucalyptus leaves is found high in the canopy, and survival depends on being agile and adept at navigating branches.
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Their fingertips, complete with whorls, arches, and loops much like our own, help them grasp limbs and leaves with precision.
What is striking is that koalas developed these fingerprints independently of humans and primates. In evolutionary terms, koalas and humans diverged from a common ancestor around 70 to 80 million years ago. At that time, fingerprints did not exist in either lineage. That both species ended up with such similar patterns is a textbook example of convergent evolution, where different organisms evolve similar traits as they adapt to similar challenges.
Forensic confusion: Koalas at the crime scene?
As amusing as it sounds, koala fingerprints have posed a theoretical challenge in forensic science. If a koala were ever to wander into a crime scene, its prints could, in theory, be mistaken for those of a human. The ridges on koala fingertips follow the same complex structure found in human prints, so detailed that even high-resolution forensic scanners could be fooled without context.
According to Professor Maciej Henneberg, a biological anthropologist at the University of Adelaide, koala fingerprints are so similar to humans' that even fingerprint experts struggle to tell them apart.
'Koala prints can easily be mistaken for human ones,' he says. 'And that's remarkable given how distant we are, evolutionarily speaking.'
Of course, the chances of a koala interfering with police investigations are slim. But this scenario raises interesting questions about how we interpret physical evidence and the assumptions we make about it.
Other animals with fingerprints
Koalas are not entirely alone in the animal kingdom when it comes to fingerprints.
Other primates, such as chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans, also have fingerprint ridges similar to humans. This is less surprising considering our shared ancestry.
What makes the koala case so exceptional is that it is not a primate. It is a marsupial, a branch of mammals that includes kangaroos and wombats. Koalas are the only known marsupials to have fingerprints this complex.
Even among other animals with tactile sensitivity, like raccoons or opossums, none show the same fingerprint precision as koalas and primates.
Some animals, such as cats or dogs, have paw pads with texture, but not the highly defined, unique ridge patterns that fingerprints are known for.
Why evolution bothered with prints
Evolution does not develop traits for no reason. It selects features that improve survival and reproduction. In the case of koalas, living high in the trees, foraging on slippery eucalyptus leaves, and gripping narrow branches would all benefit from better tactile perception.
Fingerprints, by improving grip and increasing sensitivity to texture, offer an evolutionary advantage in such an environment.
Interestingly, the fingerprints of koalas are most pronounced on their second and third fingers, which they use the most for climbing and grasping. The rest of their hands, including their opposable digits, play supporting roles, similar to how humans use their thumbs and fingers together.
Nature's mirror: A shared trait across time
The story of koala fingerprints is a reminder of how nature often finds similar solutions to similar problems. That two species, separated by millions of years and with vastly different lifestyles, could develop such a detailed trait is a testament to the power of evolution.
It also challenges our assumptions about uniqueness. We often view fingerprints as a human identifier, almost sacred in their individuality. Yet, as it turns out, a quiet creature nestled in an Australian gum tree may just leave behind a clue that looks eerily like our own.