Morphometric Analysis of Human Occipital Condyles for Sex Determination in Dry Adult Skulls

Sholapurkar, Varsha. T.; Virupaxi, Rajendrakumar D.; Desai, Suresh P.

doi:10.16965/ijar.2016.457

Cited by 5 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…All measured diameters and condylar index were higher in male skulls. The statistically significant effect on sexual determination was shown by the length of the occipital condyles and the condylar index bilaterally, while the width of the occipital condyles (transverse diameter) did not show a stratistically significant effect on sexual proliferation ( Sholapurkar et al, 2017 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Bioanthropological analysis of human occipital condyles using geometric morphometric method

Sarač-Hadžihalilović

Ajanović

Hasanbegovic

et al. 2020

Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences

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Sex differences are present in all parts of the body, including the skeletal system. Several methods are used to analyze the sex differences of skeleton, while more recently, a new method called geometric morphometry has been used. The aim of this study was to examine the sexual dimorphism of occipital condyles on human skulls originating from the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina using the geometric morphometric method. Material and methods The study was conducted on 214 human skulls of known gender from Bosnian population. For analysis of sexual dimorphism of occipital condyles, we used geometric morphometry, where all the skulls were scanned to obtain three-dimensional skull models. On the obtained models, we marked anthropometric points on occipital condyles in a Landmark Editor program from which we exported data in the form NTSYS file and analyzed it in MorphoJ program. Results First principal component PC1 describes 26.917% of total variability, the second principal component PC2 describes 20.992% of total variability, while the first eight principal components together describe 100% of total variability. The greatest variability between the male skulls and female skulls was present in the anterior-posterior diameter (length of occipital condyles). Discriminant functional analysis of the shape and size of the occipital condyles was possible with 69.50% accuracy for male skulls and with 60.27% accuracy for female skulls. The size of the occipital condyles showed a statistically significant effect on sexual determination. Discriminant functional analysis of the shape of the occipital condyles without affecting size enabled the determination of gender with with 65.96% accuracy for male skulls and with 63.01% accuracy for female skulls. Conclusion Analysis of sexual dimorphism of occipital condyles using geometric morphometry showed statistically significant differences in the shape and size of occipital condyles between the sexes. The accuracy of sex determination based on occipital condyles was higher for male gender.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Bioanthropological analysis of human occipital condyles using geometric morphometric method

Sarač-Hadžihalilović

Ajanović

Hasanbegovic

et al. 2020

Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences

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“…Condylar metrics have exhibited sex-based variation in previous studies, with females have shorter bicondylar breadths than males (9,11,12,20,21). Condyle size may be a function of cranial size (14,22) or biomechanical processes acting to rotate, flex, and extend the head (13).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…We assessed occipital bone morphological traits previously used to discriminate by ancestry or temporal change (1)(2)(3)(4) and sex (3,(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14) along with new traits that might be useful in determining sex. The goal was to understand if traits are reliable when also considering the influence of postdevelopment biomechanical activity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The basicranium is considered the more naturally sexual dimorphic area of the skull with two traits, the foramen magnum and the occipital condyles, exhibiting sexual dimorphism. The foramen magnum of females tend to have smaller lengths and widths than males (9,14,19) and the condylar regions of females have shorter bicondylar breadths than males (9,11,12,20,21). These size differences may be due to constraints exerted by overall sex-based differences in cranial size (14,22)-male heads are larger and heavier than females.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Occipital bone morphological traits have been used to estimate biological sex (Gapert, Black, & Last, 2009; Gapert & Last, 2008; Giles & Elliot, 1963; Gulekon & Turgut, 2003; Holland, 1986; Hsiao, Chang, & Liu, 1996; Macaluso, 2011; Sholapurkar, Virupaxi, & Desai, 2017; Uysal, Gokharman, Kacar, Tuncbilek, & Kosar, 2005; Williams, 1987; Zdilla, Russell, Bliss, Mangus, & Koons, 2017) and ancestry or temporal change within a group over decades (Moore-Jansen, 1989; Wescott, 1996; Wescott & Moore-Jansen, 2001; Williams, 1987). Ancestry estimation or population affinity (often considered euphemisms for race) is critiqued in biological anthropology as a method that, at its core, contradicts a well-established fact that race has no biological basis—no trait is discrete to a population, however defined (DiGangi & Bethard, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sexual dimorphism and biomechanical loading in occipital bone morphological variation

Hoover

Thomas

2022

Preprint

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This research explores the contribution of biomechanical activity to several metric and non-metric aspects of occipital bone variation. Previous studies note that occipital traits including robusticity and size can often be used to illicit estimates of ancestry and sex. The utility of occipital traits in fragmentary human remains for population affinity or sex however may be compromised by a previously unexplored contribution from biomechanical stress. Through the examination of traits highly associated with biological sex (foramen magnum area, external occipital protuberance depth, lambda-inion length, bicondylar breadth, occipital form, and nuchal line rugosity) this study examined the potential sex estimation against a reflection of gender specific lifestyle differences or changes in activity patterns over time in occipital dimensions. Directly collected data and previously published data were analyzed from several sites, including Archaic hunter-gatherers from Florida, Agricultural groups from South Dakota, and modern populations from FSU teaching collection and the Terry and Hamann-Todd collections. Findings suggest that the foramen magnum area is not sufficiently dimorphic amongst our samples to accurately estimate biological sex and significant inter-group variation in bicondylar breadth and lambda-inion may indicate activity related differences.

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Sexual dimorphism and biomechanical loading in occipital bone morphological variation

Hoover

Thomas

2022

American J Hum Biol

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We explore the contribution of biological sex and biomechanical activity from subsistence to occipital bone variation. Previous studies have used occipital bone traits to determine biological sex and identify ancestry to differing degrees of success. Biomechanical stress from variation in subsistence and gender-based divisions of labor could perhaps explain some of the noise in the signal for these grouping variables. To explore this possibility, we used metric (foramen magnum length and breadth, external occipital protuberance depth, lambda-inion length, bicondylar breadth) and nonmetric traits (general occipital form, presence of a nuchal crest, and nuchal line count). We collected original data and mined published data for our analysis using skeletal collections of Native American hunter-gatherers and horticulturalists, a historic military site, and contemporary study collections. We find that the foramen magnum area exhibits sexual dimorphism and is not influenced by subsistence, but the accuracy of sex estimation is only 71%, suggesting the chance of being correct at slightly more than two-thirds. All traits exhibited sex-based variation but only bicondylar breadth and lambda-inion metrics exhibited subsistence-based variation. Given the limited amount of variance explained by either sex or sex and subsistence, biomechanics may still play a role but not from the influence of subsistence practices in these datasets. Additional data from a wider array of skeletal samples, perhaps with known occupation, is warranted if we are to understand how occipital variation is shaped.

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Morphometric Analysis of Human Occipital Condyles for Sex Determination in Dry Adult Skulls

Cited by 5 publications

References 7 publications

Bioanthropological analysis of human occipital condyles using geometric morphometric method

Bioanthropological analysis of human occipital condyles using geometric morphometric method

Sexual dimorphism and biomechanical loading in occipital bone morphological variation

Sexual dimorphism and biomechanical loading in occipital bone morphological variation

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