Biology

Question

Could you please explain why textbooks use within the curriculum that a basis of further teaching is that identical twins are identical in all respects genetically. What is not disclosed is that identical twins have their own unique fingerprints. And fingerprints are specifically correlated to the genetics of each individual.

Answer

Fingerprints are actually not correlated to genetics. They are strongly developmentally influenced. In fact, one of the reasons we know that they are developmental rather than genetic is that genetically identical twins have different fingerprints. Unless, of course, you're accidentally confusing finger-fingerprints with DNA "fingerprints". The later is a short-hand way to talk about the markers that are used in matching (or not) in DNA analysis.