Estimating Sex of Modern Greeks Based on the Foramen Magnum Region

Abstract

Sex determination is one of the principal aims when examining human skeletal remains. One method for sex determination is based on metric criteria using discriminant functions. However, discriminant function sexing formulas are population-specific. In the present study, we determined the use of the foramen magnum as well as the occipital condyles for sex determination on adults from a modern Greek population. Seven parameters were examined (4 obtained from the foramen magnum; 3 obtained from the occipital condyles) and the sample consisted of 154 adult crania (77 males and 77 females). The results indicate that the foramen magnum region exhibits sexual dimorphism and the mean values for all parameters were higher in males than females. In comparison, the occipital condyles provide a higher determination of the correct sex than the foramen magnum. The combination of the occipital condyle variables allowed for the development of discriminant functions that predicted the correct sex in 74% of all cases. Finally, although other anatomical regions can discriminate the sexes with higher accuracy, the functions developed in this study could be cautiously used in cases of fragmented crania.

Sexual dimorphism of foramen magnum: An Egyptian study

“…The use of radiological methods such as X-ray, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging, is striking and provides data that is consistent with measurements derived through using calipers in estimation of dry skull diameters (Zheng et al, 2018). Previous morphometric cranial analyses using CT imaging measuring the accuracy rates have been conducted in different populations (Ekizoglu et al, 2016;Chovalopoulou & Bertsatos, 2017;RaghavendraBabu et al, 2012;Edwards et al, 2013;Abdel-Karim et al, 2015;Omer et al, 2015;Tellioglu et al, 2018;Vidisha et al, 2019).…”

“…The most reliable sexually dimorphic bones of the human skeleton are the innominate bones (Tambawala et al, 2016). From a forensic point of view, the basicranium has a resistant nature and is a commonly preserved part of human skeleton in disastrous injuries or due to the effects of inhumation and taphonomic processes compared to other craniofacial bones owing to its distinguishable location in the base of the skull, its thickness and the large volume of soft tissues covering it (Chovalopoulou & Bertsatos, 2017). One of the important landmarks of the basicranium is the Foramen Magnum (FM) that attracted considerable interest and has various scientific and legal applications especially in sexual dimorphism mainly in the context of having significantly large number of fragmentary remains such as victims of mass disasters or with decomposed skeletonized bodies (Toneva et al, 2018).…”

Sex Determination in Japanese Quails (Coturnix japonica) Using Geometric Morphometrics of the Skull

“…In these two studies, the most significant gender differentiation in caudal appearance was in the foramen magnum. Sexual dimorphism of the foramen magnum was mentioned in a morphometric study in humans [38]. On the other hand, whether the foramen magnum shows sexual dimorphism in poultry may be the subject of further geometric morphometry and morphometric studies.…”

Morphometric analysis of the foramen magnum in sex estimation: An additional 3DCT study from Nepal on a larger sample

“…The use of univariate and multivariate functions by anthropologists has suggested that the sexual identity from the cranial samples can be accurately established from 65% to 88%. 13 , 15 , 16 , 17 …”