  We search for signatures of recent galaxy close interactions and mergers in a
sample of 202 early-type galaxies in the local universe from the public SDSS
Stripe82 deep images ($\mu_r \sim 28.5$ mag arcsec$^{-2}$). Using two different
methods to remove galaxies' smooth and symmetric light distribution, we
identify and characterize eleven distinct types of merger remnants embedded in
the diffuse light of these early-type galaxies. We discuss how the morphology
of merger remnants can result from different kinds of minor and major mergers,
and estimate the fraction of early-type galaxies in the local universe with
evidence of recent major (27%) and minor (57%) mergers. The merger fractions
deduced are higher than in several earlier surveys. Among remnants, we find
that shells are the dominant merger debris (54%) associated with early-type
galaxies, resulting from both major and minor mergers, with those
characteristics of major mergers being significant (24% of shell host
galaxies). The most uncommon merger-related structures are boxy isophotes of
the stellar distribution and the presence of disk fragments near the cores of
galaxies. We develop a classification scheme for these fine structures that may
be used to infer their likely genesis histories. The classification is
primarily based on the mass ratios of the merged galaxies. This work, when
combined with predictions from numerical simulations, indicates that most (if
not all) early-type galaxies in the local Universe are continually evolving as
a result of (minor) merger activities.
