Positive Identification by a Skull with Multiple Epigenetic Traits and Abnormal Structure of the Neurocranium, Viscerocranium, and the Skeleton*

Abstract

Wormian bones are small ossicles appearing within the cranial sutures in more than 40% of skulls, most commonly at the lambdoid suture and pterion. During the skeletal analysis of an unidentified male war victim, we observed multiple wormian bones and a patent metopic suture. Additionally, the right elbow was deformed, probably as a consequence of an old trauma. The skull was analyzed by cranial measurements and computerized tomography, revealing the presence of cranial deformities including hyperbrachicrania, localized reduction in hemispheral widths, increased cranial capacity, and sclerosis of the viscerocranium. Besides unique anatomical features and their anthropological value, such skeletal abnormalities also have a forensic value as the evidence to support the final identification of the victim.

Croatia (Hrvatska)

“…Moreover, in 2011 a new specialisation programme for medico-legal doctors has been established (NN 100/11) which, for the first time in Croatia, also includes mandatory training in forensic anthropology and forensic odontology at the Anthropological Centre of the Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Zagreb Faculty of Dentistry. The growing number of scientific papers published in the combined areas of forensic anthropology, archaeology and legal medicine confirm the recognition of the disciplines among practitioners (Borić et al 2011;Kuharić et al 2011;Leksan et al 2005;Petaros et al 2013;Petrovecǩi et al 2007Petrovecǩi et al , 2008Šlaus et al 2003, 2007a,b, 2013.…”

Prevalence of wormian bones worldwide: a critical review

“…Wormian bones can be also considered as important from the medicolegal perspective as their characteristic pattern, can be used for identification of an individual (Kuharić et al 2011;Jayprakash 1997); moreover, due to their association with abnormal bone brittleness, WB can prove critical in the diagnosis of the children's bone trauma in order to exclude the possibility of physical abuse (Johal et al 2017;Govsa et al 2014;Marti et al 2013). During X-Ray examination of the head, Wormian bones can also be mistaken for fractures (Narayan et al 2019;Romero-Reverón 2017).…”