Sexual dimorphism in skeletal browridge and chin morphologies determined using a new quantitative method

Dados Bibliográficos

ID8317217
AutoresHeather M Garvin (0000-0002-9787-4366), C B Ruff (0000-0002-2932-3634)
Ano2012
Volume147
Fascículo4
Páginas661-670
Data de publicação2012-04-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoAmerican Journal of Physical Anthropology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0002-9483 • E-ISSN: 1096-8644
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/ajpa.22036
PMID22371071
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas31
Referências citadas42

Qualitative methods of describing sexual dimorphism in discrete cranial traits have been criticized for their subjectivity and statistical limitations. However, researchers have yet to be able to accurately capture the morphology of these individual traits using traditional metric techniques. This article presents a method to quantify morphological variation in the skeletal browridge and chin using 3D surface laser scans. Browridge and chin regions are isolated from the skull using objectively defined landmarks and planes. Region areas and volumes are used to quantify absolute and relative size, while semilandmarks along transects are used for more detailed morphometric analyses. An intraobserver error study indicates high repeatability of the method. Application of the method is demonstrated on a sample of US males and females of black and white ancestries. Results suggest significant effects of both sex and ancestry on brow and chin morphologies and are consistent with traditional qualitative descriptions. Our results indicate that the method can accurately and reliably quantify browridge and chin morphologies, providing a tool to objectively describe and statistically analyze these traditionally qualitative discrete cranial traits. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc