The estimation of biological sex is of paramount relevance in the analysis of skeletal remains recovered in forensic contexts. This study aims to assess sexual dimorphism for identification purposes, from two reference samples of the Portuguese population, and a depiction of the size- and shape-related sexual dimorphism of the human scapula using geometric morphometrics approaches. The sample comprised 211 individuals (100 males and 111 females). A generalized Procrustes analysis (GPA) was performed for shape analyses, a principal component analysis (PCA) and a Procrustes ANOVA were implemented on the GPA transformed variables, and a discriminant analysis was used to assess the cross-validated accuracy of sex estimates. The data showed that male scapulae were larger, with medial and lateral curves more pronounced and an inferior angle more acute than females. The males and females were classified with low accuracy (66.82% and 65.88% for landmarks and semi-landmarks data) based on shape. Combining size and shape variables improved the accuracy of the prediction using landmarks data (80.09%). A combination of both variables might improve the chances of the geometric morphometrics methodology in correctly estimating the sex of unidentified individuals, especially if the skeletal elements show low sexual shape dimorphism.
Potential secular changes in the human scapula are fundamentally unbeknownst, with most of the preceding anatomical studies focusing on long-term changes in the long bones and the skull. As such, the cardinal purpose of this study pertains to the evaluation of secular trends on the shape and size of the scapula in a time period spanning from the 19th to the early 21st centuries. The study sample included 211 individuals (100 males and 111 females) from the Coimbra Identified Skeletal Collection and the 21st Century Identified Skeletal Collection. The size and shape of the scapula were evaluated using geometric morphometrics. Results show secular changes over a relatively short period of time in both the shape and size of the scapula in Portuguese nationals. Shape changes were observed in both sexes but expressed minimally, while a significant negative trend in the size of the scapula was detected in males. Scapular size decrement in males conceivably echoes general trends of the overall anatomy towards a narrower body associated with higher standards of living that include enhanced nutrition and universal healthcare, among other factors.
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