Home
Anthropology 1
Anthropology 3
Anthropology 4
Anthropology 6
Anthropology Links
About Me
Curriculum Vitae

 

ANTH 6 - Forensic Anthropology
Sex
Handout (Material adapted from Bass 1994; Burns 1999; White 1991, 2000)

 

LAB PRACTICUM

 TABLE 1: Cranial Sex Traits: A Summary of the Current Research Methodology.

SUMMARY OF SKULL TRAITS RELATED TO SEXING

 

Trait

Female

Male

supraorbital ridge/torus

less prominent

more prominent

upper edge eye orbit 

sharp

blunt

eye orbit shape 

rounded

square

palate

smaller

larger

teeth

smaller

larger

chin

rounded with midline point, V-shaped

square, U-shaped

gonial angle

non-projecting

projecting or flaring

cranial vault

smaller, smoother

larger, rougher

frontal bossing

present

absent

parietal bossing 

present

absent

muscle ridges (nuchal)

gracile

robust

zygomatic process

not expressed beyond zygomatic arch

expressed beyond zygomatic arch and beyond external auditory meatus as crest

mastoid process

smaller, short

larger, broad

occipital condyles

smaller

larger

(Adapted from Bass 1987, 1995; White 1991, 2000; Pickering and Bachman 1997)


TABLE 2: Sex Traits of the Femur and Humerus: A Summary of the Current Research Methodology.

RANGES OF METRIC LIMB TRAITS RELATED TO SEXING

(all measurements in mm)

Trait

Female

Probably Female

Indeterminate

Probably Male

Male

femur head maximum diameter (Negroid)

<41.5

41.5-43.5

43.5-44.5

44.5-45.5

>45.5

femur head maximum diameter (Caucasoid)

<42.5

42.5-43.5

43.5-46.5

46.5-47.5

>47.5

femur bicondylar width (Negroid)

<72

72-74

74-76

76-78

>78

humerus head max diameter vertical (Terry Collection)

<43

-

44-46

-

>47

(Adapted from Bass 1987, 1995; White 1991, 2000; Pickering and Bachman 1997)


TABLE 3: Postcranial Sex Traits: A Summary of the Current Research Methodology.

AVERAGES OF METRIC LIMB TRAITS RELATED TO SEXING

(all measurements in mm)

Trait

Female

Male

femur head maximum diameter (Caucasoid)

43.8

49.7

femur head maximum diameter (Negroid)

41.5

47.2

humerus head maximum diameter vertical (Not Specified)

42.7

48.8

humerus head maximum diameter transverse (Not Specified)

37.0

44.7

humerus head maximum diameter transverse (Native American)

38-39

43-44

humerus maximum length (Negroid) 

305.9

339.0

humerus epicondylar width (Negroid) 

56.8

63.9

(Adapted from Bass 1987, 1995; White 1991, 2000; Pickering and Bachman 1997)


Table 4: Postcranial Sex Traits: The Innominate.

SUMMARY OF OSSA COXAE TRAITS RELATED TO SEXING

Trait

Female

Male

obturator foramen

small and triangular

large and ovoid 

greater sciatic notch

wide, >90 degrees

narrow, deep, <90 degrees

auricular surface

high relief, with pre-auricular sulcus

low relief , lacking pre-auricular sulcus

acetabulum

small

large

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Adapted from Bass 1987, 1995; White 1991, 2000; Pickering and Bachman 1997)


Click on the thumbnails above for a larger view.  This will open a new browser window.

The images above are miscellaneous files I found in MyDocs.  I've been collecting images for educational use for four or five years now.   I'm sure I've taken these from somewhere because I didn't scan them.  Honestly, I have no source for these images--if they are  yours and you want me to take it down, let me know or I will gratefully provide credit where due.


Questions? Comments? Corrections?? email me!


V 3.2
Last Updated Summer 2006
 
Copyright 
April Garwin
2001-2006
All Rights Reserved