Morphometric Study of the Mastoid Triangle for Sexual Dimorphism of Dry Skulls in the North Indian Population

Abstract

The mastoid process is a conical projection from the undersurface of the temporal bone. Examination of skeletal remains by anthropologists requires sex determination. The present study proposes to determine sex from morphometry of the mastoid process. The study was conducted on 300 dried skulls with the help of a digital vernier caliper. Discriminant functional analysis was performed. The parameters measured were the mastoid triangle, which is formed by specific points the porion, mastoidale, and asterion, and the linear distances between them. All parameters were higher in male skulls with a high level of significance. The area of the mastoid triangle proved to be the best parameter for sex discrimination.