Sexual dimorphism in right and left orbital fossa measurements from adult human skulls from an eastern Indian population

In forensic anthropology, the pelvis is the most reliable indicator of sex, followed by the skull, with several studies having used the morphometry of the orbital aperture of dry skulls to estimate sex. However, age, sex, ancestry, and evolutionary periods cause variations in orbital characteristics...

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Main Authors: Ritwik Ghosh, Soumeek Chowdhuri, Somnath Maity
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2019-01-01
Series:Journal of Forensic Science and Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.jfsmonline.com/article.asp?issn=2349-5014;year=2019;volume=5;issue=4;spage=173;epage=176;aulast=Ghosh
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author Ritwik Ghosh
Soumeek Chowdhuri
Somnath Maity
author_facet Ritwik Ghosh
Soumeek Chowdhuri
Somnath Maity
author_sort Ritwik Ghosh
collection DOAJ
description In forensic anthropology, the pelvis is the most reliable indicator of sex, followed by the skull, with several studies having used the morphometry of the orbital aperture of dry skulls to estimate sex. However, age, sex, ancestry, and evolutionary periods cause variations in orbital characteristics. In this study, we analyzed measurements of orbital fossa from adult human craniums and employed discriminant function analysis to establish a model to predict sex. A manual Vernier caliper was used to obtain measurements of the left and right orbital fossa. On comparing the measurements (including mean, minimum, and maximum), we found that all the dimensions were greater in males than in females. Wilks' lambda for the sex-discriminating model was 0.533, signifying a moderate discriminating power. The discriminant function equation was: df = −10.274 × right orbit width + 13.44 × left orbit width − 7.982 × right orbit height + 7.694 × left orbit height − 12.234 (constant). The cutoff point was (90.567− [−1.512])/2 = 1.0395. Therefore, above this value of 1.0395, cases were predicted to be male, while below it, they were predicted to be female. Orbital aperture measurements can play an important role in estimating sex from dry craniums. Orbital measurements could be a useful adjunctive test for sex estimation in forensic practice.
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spelling doaj.art-4eb8f57873f5459cbbda37d75af851392022-12-21T18:41:59ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Forensic Science and Medicine2349-50142019-01-015417317610.4103/jfsm.jfsm_37_19Sexual dimorphism in right and left orbital fossa measurements from adult human skulls from an eastern Indian populationRitwik GhoshSoumeek ChowdhuriSomnath MaityIn forensic anthropology, the pelvis is the most reliable indicator of sex, followed by the skull, with several studies having used the morphometry of the orbital aperture of dry skulls to estimate sex. However, age, sex, ancestry, and evolutionary periods cause variations in orbital characteristics. In this study, we analyzed measurements of orbital fossa from adult human craniums and employed discriminant function analysis to establish a model to predict sex. A manual Vernier caliper was used to obtain measurements of the left and right orbital fossa. On comparing the measurements (including mean, minimum, and maximum), we found that all the dimensions were greater in males than in females. Wilks' lambda for the sex-discriminating model was 0.533, signifying a moderate discriminating power. The discriminant function equation was: df = −10.274 × right orbit width + 13.44 × left orbit width − 7.982 × right orbit height + 7.694 × left orbit height − 12.234 (constant). The cutoff point was (90.567− [−1.512])/2 = 1.0395. Therefore, above this value of 1.0395, cases were predicted to be male, while below it, they were predicted to be female. Orbital aperture measurements can play an important role in estimating sex from dry craniums. Orbital measurements could be a useful adjunctive test for sex estimation in forensic practice.http://www.jfsmonline.com/article.asp?issn=2349-5014;year=2019;volume=5;issue=4;spage=173;epage=176;aulast=Ghoshanthropologyforensicorbital fossasex
spellingShingle Ritwik Ghosh
Soumeek Chowdhuri
Somnath Maity
Sexual dimorphism in right and left orbital fossa measurements from adult human skulls from an eastern Indian population
Journal of Forensic Science and Medicine
anthropology
forensic
orbital fossa
sex
title Sexual dimorphism in right and left orbital fossa measurements from adult human skulls from an eastern Indian population
title_full Sexual dimorphism in right and left orbital fossa measurements from adult human skulls from an eastern Indian population
title_fullStr Sexual dimorphism in right and left orbital fossa measurements from adult human skulls from an eastern Indian population
title_full_unstemmed Sexual dimorphism in right and left orbital fossa measurements from adult human skulls from an eastern Indian population
title_short Sexual dimorphism in right and left orbital fossa measurements from adult human skulls from an eastern Indian population
title_sort sexual dimorphism in right and left orbital fossa measurements from adult human skulls from an eastern indian population
topic anthropology
forensic
orbital fossa
sex
url http://www.jfsmonline.com/article.asp?issn=2349-5014;year=2019;volume=5;issue=4;spage=173;epage=176;aulast=Ghosh
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AT soumeekchowdhuri sexualdimorphisminrightandleftorbitalfossameasurementsfromadulthumanskullsfromaneasternindianpopulation
AT somnathmaity sexualdimorphisminrightandleftorbitalfossameasurementsfromadulthumanskullsfromaneasternindianpopulation