Forensic Anthropology: Skeletal Differences Male Skeleton Female Skeleton Thicker, rougher, bumpier Smoother, more delicate Male hormones make male More rounded or smooth musculature more angles developed. Larger muscles require stronger attachment Femur finer, greater angle site on bones, so surface of bones in male are thicker, producing a rough or bumpy area Sharper, squared angles Femur thicker, straighter angle Male femur Female Trait femur

Thick Size Narrow

Straighter Angle Greater Male Female Trait skeleton skeleton Overall Robust appearance Slender Rougher, bumpier for Smoother, Bone surface larger muscle more delicate attachment Male skull Trait Female skull More massive; bumpier Cranium (size) Medium- to large size More square Shape of eye socket More round Mandible shape More square (from underside) More v-shaped Upper brow ridge Thick and larger (supraorbital margin) Thin and smaller Present Occipital protuberance Absent Present Mastoid process Diminished or absent Male skull Trait Female skull Frontal bone Higher in height, vaulted, Low in height, sloping (forehead) more rounded Extends to ear opening or Zygomatic Process past ear opening (cheek bone) Stops short of ear opening Rough, bumpy Surface of skull Smooth Ramus of mandible Straight; 90° (jaw angle) Slanting; greater than 90° Rough, bumpy Nuchal crest Smooth Examples of variations in skulls  Examples of variations in skulls  Nuchal crest: ridge above external occipital protuberance  Mastoid process: rounded process below ear (you can feel it behind your earlobe)  Supraorbital margin: curved portion over orbit. (inside upper surface of orbit)  Supraorbital ridge/ glabella: ridge over bony orbit. Brow ridge.  Mental eminence: triangular portion at the bottom of the mandible where the two portions fuse. Pelvic inlet Pelvic outlet Male pelvis Trait Female pelvis Pelvic brim Narrow, noncircular Larger, more circular (inlet) Narrower Pelvic outlet Larger < 90° (50-82°) Pubic arch > 90° Triangular pubis Shape of pubis Heart shaped pubis Higher Pubic symphysis Lower Heart shaped Shape of pelvic cavity Oval shaped May be scarred from Smooth Pelvic surface childbirth Male pelvis Trait Female pelvis Longer; narrower Sacrum Shorter; broader More evenly distributed More marked curvature; curvature; curves Sacrum curvature curved outward inward Often 5 or more Generally no more than Sacrum fusion segments 5 segments Large; tends to be Acetabulum Small; tends to directed directed laterally (socket for femur) anterolaterally

Trait Caucasian Negroid Mongoloid Eye orbit rounded; somewhat Rectangular Rounded; somewhat square circular

Nasal spine Prominent Very small Somewhat prominent

Nasal cavity Long, narrow Wide small, rounded

Incisors smooth smooth Shoveled interior

Prognathism Straight Prognathic (upper Variable jaw projects beyond lower jaw)

Cranium frontal plane flat Frontal plane frontal plane flat or projected outward projected outward Femur fingers fit under Fingers will not fit Fingers will fit under curvature of femur under curvature of curvature of femur femur