Species Determination of Osseous Remains

Abstract

Species determination of skeletal remains can be easily assessed by the macroscopic observation of the morphology of bone and teeth fragments. However, the human origin of a small fragment of degraded or burnt bone may be particularly difficult to assess. In these cases, microscopy may be very helpful. The shape and size of the principal building blocks of bone, i.e., the osteons, visible in microscopy, can orient a diagnosis toward a human or nonhuman response. Regression formulae exist, which can aid in solving this problem by using diameters of osteons and of Haversian canals. Sometimes the simple design or pattern of the osteons may be indicative. Similar observations can be made for the microscopic structure of some dental tissues such as dentine. Protein analysis (by ELISA and other immunochemical methods) and DNA testing may also be useful. One should always consider, however, the possibility of contamination and degradation in such extreme cases, particularly in the case of DNA.