Denise and Deann Teeter, twins age 13, of Las Vegas, Nev., for their question:

DO IDENTICAL TWINS HAVE IDENTICAL FINGERPRINTS?

No two fingerprints have as yet been found to be exactly alike.  Identical twins have completely individual fingerprints.

Fingerprints are the impressions made by ridges on the end joints of the fingers and thumbs. These ridges form the fingerprint pattern, which remains unchanged throughout a person's entire life.

Fingerprints can be grouped according to the type of patterns and the number of ridges appear inbetween designated points within the patterns. There are three main groups: the arch, the loop and the whorl.

The FBI has a collection of more than 200 million fingerprints on file in Washington, D.C.