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A Forensic Anatomy > Sex estimation and stature > Flashcards

Sex estimation and stature Flashcards

1
Q

Describe the overall features of the female skull

A 
Tend to be:
- Smaller
- Shorter 
- Smoother 
- Slighter 
Than the males

Apart from:
- Frontal slope –> more vertical

  • Frontal and parietal tuberocities –> more marked
  • Orbital outline –> sharper
  • Mandibular ramus –> straighter posterior border
  • Angle of the mandible –> more obtuse
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2
Q

What is the glabella?

A

The small depression between the eyebrows (smooth region of the forehead)

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3
Q

Where is the glabella situated?

A

Superior to the nasal bone

Medial to the supraorbital ridge

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4
Q

What is the difference between the glabellar profile between the male and female skull?

A

Females:
- Smooth

Males:
- Prominent

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5
Q

What is the frontal slope of the skull?

A

The slope of the forehead

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6
Q

What is the difference between the frontal slope between the male and female skull?

A

Females:
- Vertical

Males:
- Less vertical (inclined)/ more of a slope backwards

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7
Q

What are the frontal eminence?

A

One or 2 rounded elevations of the skull about 3cm above the the supraorbital margin on either side of the frontal bone

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8
Q

What are the parietal eminence?

A

Raised elevation of the skull near the centre of each parietal bone

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9
Q

What is the difference between the frontal and parietal eminence between the male and female skull?

A

Female:
- Marked

Male:
- Reduced/absent

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10
Q

What is the supraorbital ridge?

A

A prominence on the frontal bone above the eyes (orbits)

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11
Q

What is the difference between the supraorbital ridge between the male and female skull?

A

Female:
- Slight

Male:
- Prominent

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12
Q

What is the oribital outline?

A

The outline of the eye socket (oribital)

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13
Q

What is the difference between the orbital outline between the male and female skull?

A

Females:

  • Circular
  • SHARP edges

Males:

  • Quadrangular
  • ROUNDED edges
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14
Q

What are the temporal ridges?

A

4 parallel lines on either side of the skull

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15
Q

What is the difference between the temporal ridges between the male and female skull?

A

Female:
- Slight

Males:
- Marked

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16
Q

What are the suprameatal crests?

A

The ridge that forms the posterior root of the zygomatic process of the temporal bone

(Zygomatic extension)

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17
Q

What is the difference between the suprameatal crests between the male and female skull?

A

Females:
- Short

Males:
- Extends posteriorly

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18
Q

What is the mastoid process of the skull?

A

The portion of the TEMPORAL BONE of the skull that extends behind the ear

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19
Q

What is the difference between the mastoid process between the male and female skull?

A

Females:

  • Small
  • Bends underneath the vault (occupies the brain)

Males:

  • Large
  • Extends vertically
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20
Q

What is the nuchal area/crest of the skull?

A

The four curved lines on the external surface of the occipital bone

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21
Q

What is the difference between the nuchal area/crest between the male and female skull?

A

Females:
- Smooth

Males:
- Ridged

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22
Q

What is the external occipital protuberance?

A

Midline bony prominence in the occipital bone

Where the ligamentum nuchae and trapezius muscles attach to

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23
Q

What is the difference between the external occipital protuberance between the male and female skull?

A

Females:
- Small

Males:
- Large

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24
Q

What is the mandibular ramus?

A

The perpendicular extremity of the mandible on either side

Connects the body to the condylar head

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25
Q

What is the difference between the mandibular ramus between the male and female skull?

A

Females:
- Straight posterior border

Males:
- Flexed posterior border

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26
Q

What is the mentom?

A

The lowest part of the median part of the chin

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27
Q

What is the difference between the depth from the incisors to the mentum between the male and female skull?

A

Females:
- Short

Males:
- Long

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28
Q

What is the mental protuberance?

A

The body protuberance at the front of the lower jaw that forms the chin

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29
Q

What is the difference between the mental protuberance between the male and female skull?

A

Females:

  • Small
  • Rounded

Males:

  • Large
  • Projecting
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30
Q

What is the difference between the angle of the mandible between the male and female skull?

A

Females:

  • Obtuse
  • Smooth edged

Males:

  • Acute
  • Everted edge
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31
Q

What is the difference between the overall shape of the cranium between male and female skull?

A

Female:

  • Gracile (thinner)
  • Rounder
  • Lighter

Male:

  • Robust
  • Angular
  • Heavier
32
Q

As well as the skull, what is used to morphologically determine female or male?

A

The pelvis

33
Q

What about the pelvis is preferentially used for sex estimation and why?

A

The shape

Due to its direct link to biological sex, due to the adaptation to childbirth for females (female pelvis = wider)

34
Q

Describe the overall shape of the female pelvis and compare this to the male pelvis (anteriorly)

A

Female:
- Low and BROAD

Male:
- High and NARROW

35
Q

What is the pelvic inlet?

A

Defines the boundary between the pelvic cavity and the abdominal cavity (the ‘hole’ in the pelvis)

36
Q

What is the difference between the pelvic inlet between the male and female pelvis?

A

Female:

  • Broad
  • Oval (like a head)

Male:

  • Narrow
  • Heart shaped
37
Q

What is the iliac crest?

A

The superior border of the wing of the ilum of the pelvis

38
Q

What is the difference between the iliac crest between the male and female pelvis?

A

Female:

  • Many curves
  • Gently flexed

Male:

  • Angular
  • Sharply flexed
39
Q

What are the bones that make up the pelvis

A

Sacrum and coccyx
Ilium (top)
Pubis (middle)
Ischium (bottom)

40
Q

What is the iliac blade?

A

The wing of the ilium?

41
Q

What is the difference between the iliac blade between the male and female pelvis?

A

Females:
- Flared laterally (outwards)

Males:
- More vertical

42
Q

What is the greater sciatic notch?

A

A notch in the ILIUM (wing) between the posterior iliac spine and the ischial spine

At the posterior of the pelvis

43
Q

What is the difference between the greater sciatic notch between the male and female pelvis?

A

Females:

  • U-shaped
  • Obtuse angle

Males:

  • V-shaped
  • Acute angle
44
Q

What is the auricular surface of the pelvis?

A

The part of the ilium that articulates with the sacrum

Medial to the iliac spine

45
Q

What is the difference between the auricular surface of the male and female pelvis?

A

Females:

  • Narrow
  • On elevate plateau

Males:

  • Wide
  • In plane of the iliac spine (not elevated)
46
Q

What is the preauricular sulcus?

A

Groove frequently seen on the iliac bone

Adjacent to the auricular surface/sacroiliac joint

47
Q

What is the difference between the preauricular sulcus of the male and female pelvis?

A

Female:
- Often present

Male:
- USUALY (but not always) absent

48
Q

What is the acetabulum?

A

The socket

49
Q

What is the difference between the acetabulum of the male and female pelvis?

A

Female:

  • Small
  • Faces more anteriorly

Male:

  • Large
  • Faces more laterally
50
Q

What is the (superior) pubic rami?

A

The part of the pubic bone that forms the obturator foramen

51
Q

What is the difference between the (superior) pubic rami of the male and female pelvis?

A

Females:
- Long

Males:
- Short

52
Q

What is the sub-pubic angle?

A

The angle of the pubic arch

Formed by the convergence of the rami of the ischium and the pubis on either side

53
Q

What is the difference between the sub-pubic angle of the male and female pelvis?

A

Females:

  • Broad
  • U-shaped

Males:

  • Narrow
  • V-shaped
54
Q

What is the inferior pubic ramus?

A

The thin and flat part of the pelvis that passes laterally and downwards from the medial end of the superior ramus

55
Q

What is the difference between the infeiror pubic ramus of the male and female pelvis?

A

Females:

  • Gracile (slender)
  • Tapers superiorly (reduces in thickness)

Males:

  • Broad
  • Less tapered
56
Q

What is the ventral arc of the pelvis?

A

Slightly raised ridge of bone that sweeps inferiorly and laterally across the central surface of the pubis

(at the pubic synthesis)

57
Q

What is the difference between the ventral arc of the male and female pelvis?

A

Females:
- Often present

Males:
- Often absent

58
Q

What is the sub-pubic concavity of the pelvis?

A

Edge of the pubic ramus is concaved

Created by the ventral arch of the pubis bone

59
Q

What is the difference between the sub-pubic concavity of the male and female pelvis?

A

Females:
- Often present

Males:
- Often absent

60
Q

What is the obturator formen of the pelvis?

A

Large opening formed by the rami of the pubis and the ischium either side of the pubis bone

Where nerves and blood vessels pass through

61
Q

What is the difference between the obturator foramen of the male and female pelvis?

A

Females:

  • Small
  • Wide
  • Triangular

Males:

  • Large
  • Tall
  • Ovoid
62
Q

What is the ischial spine of the pelvis?

A

Extension from the posterior border of the ischium

Thin and pointed triangular eminence

Between the greater and lesser sciatic notches

63
Q

What is the difference between the ischial spine of the male and female pelvis?

A

Females:

  • Shorter
  • Less intrusive

Males:

  • More prominent
  • More intrusive
64
Q

What is the sacral ala of the pelvis?

A

The wings either side of the sacrum (that articulate with the sacroiliac joints)

65
Q

What is the difference between the width of the sacral ala of the male and female pelvis?

A

Females:
- Broader than the body of S1

Males:
- Narrower than the body of S1

66
Q

What is the anterior sacral curvature of the pelvis?

A

The curvature of the anterior of the body of the sacrum

67
Q

What is the difference between the anterior sacral curvature of the male and female pelvis?

A

Females:
- Extends from S3-S5

Males:
- Extends from S1-S5 (longer)

68
Q

What is the sacral auricular surface of the pelvis?

A

The part of the sacrum that articulates with the auricular surface of the iliac bone

69
Q

What is the difference between the sacral auricular surface of the male and female pelvis?

A

Females:
- Extends from S1-S2

Males:
- Extends from S1-S3

70
Q

What is the sacrum?

A

The end of the spine that is fused to the pelvis

S1-S5

71
Q

What is another name for male?

72
Q

What is another name for female?

73
Q

What 3 structures are often present in the female that are often absent in the male?

A

1) Preauricular sulcus
2) Ventral arc
3) Sub-pubic concavity

74
Q

Which sex have a more define area of muscle attachment?

75
Q

What is the difference between the appearance of the jaw in males and females?

A

Females:

  • Pointer chin
  • Sloped towards the angle (from the chin)

Males:

  • Square chin
  • Less sloped towards the angle (from the chin)

A Forensic Anatomy (13 decks)

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