Evaluation of non-metric variation in the crania of black and white perinates

• Published in: Forensic science international Vol. 151; no. 2; pp. 177 - 185
• Main Authors: Weinberg, Seth M., Putz, David A., Mooney, Mark P., Siegel, Michael I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ireland Ltd 16.07.2005; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: African Continental Ancestry Group; Biological and medical sciences; Craniofacial morphology; Craniology; Data collection; European Continental Ancestry Group; Female; Fetus - anatomy & histology; Forensic Anthropology; Forensic fetal osteology; Forensic medicine; Forensic sciences; Genealogy; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Logistic regression; Male; Medical sciences; Non-metric variation; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Race; Racial identification; Reproducibility of Results; Sex Characteristics; Skull - anatomy & histology; Studies; Logistic regression; Non-metric variation; Craniofacial morphology; Forensic fetal osteology; Racial identification; Human; Evaluation; Forensic science; Legal medicine; Negroid; Variations; Forensic aspect; Identification; Ethnic group; Forensic osteology; Morphology; Race; Fetus; Craniofacial; Caucasoid
• ISSN: 0379-0738; 1872-6283
• DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2005.02.009

Reports in the literature suggest that diagnostic differences in craniofacial morphology between blacks and whites arise very early in development. These reports, however, have not been consistent regarding which traits are diagnostic and have failed to provide forensic anthropologists with a reliable method of assessment. In an effort to clarify the situation, 13 non-metric craniofacial traits were scored and analyzed statistically in a sample of 70 black and white perinatal specimens obtained from the Smithsonian's fetal osteology collection. Chi-square analysis revealed significant ( p < 0.05) differences in the distribution of five of the 13 non-metric traits examined. Compared with black perinates, white perinates more frequently possessed a relatively narrow supraoccipital portion of the occipital bone, a prominent anterior nasal spine, “deep” subnasal margins, an elongated vomer, and semi-circular temporal squamae. When these five traits were entered into a stepwise logistic regression, temporal squamous shape, vomer shape and subnasal margin definition were found to be predictive of race (79.1% overall correct classification). An independent sample of 39 black and white perinates was then used to validate the results; overall, 67.5% of the validation sample could be classified correctly. Reasons for the disparity in correct classification rates between the initial and follow-up sample are provided. Results of the present study may be useful for anthropologists who encounter unidentified cranial material from this age range.