Comparison of techniques for determining sex on human populations: differential estimates from the pelvis and skull in a sample from San Juan, Argentina
Abstract
Traditionally, sex estimates used in anthropology are based on the visual weighting of dimorphic osteological traits of the pelvis and the skull. The aim of this study is to compare different sex estimates in archaeological human populations, using cranial morphometric data and visual estimates from the pelvis and skull, in a sample of individuals from San Juan, Argentina. The sample (n = 18) includes individuals from different locations in the Province of San Juan, held at the Museo de La Plata and Museo Etnográfico "J.B. Ambrosetti." 3D landmarks were recorded in the skull using a Microscribe digitizer and six morphometric data sets were analyzed: complete skull, face, vault, base, sexual dimorphism landmarks conventionally established and mandible. Morphometric data sets were compared to sex estimates from the pelvis and from the skull, and principal component analysis were conducted for each set of morphometric data, classified by both sex estimates. The results show that there are differences in sex determination because sexual dimorphism is expressed unequally in different anatomical structures, being the face the structure that allows a better discrimination between sexes.
Keywords: sex determination, sexual dimorphism geometric morphometrics, principal component analysis.
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References
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Albanese J (2003) A Metric Method for Sex Determination using the Hipbone and the Femur. J Forensic Sci 48: 1-11.
Berdnikovs S (2005) Evolution of Sexual Dimorphism in Mustelids. Tesis Doctoral Inédita. University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Estados Unidos.
Blanco MB, Godfrey LR (2006) Craniofacial Sexual Dimorphism in Alouatta palliata, the mantled howling monkey. J Zool 270 (2): 268-276.
Bookstein FL (1991) Morphometric Tools for Landmark Data. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, Inglaterra.
Bookstein FL (1997) Landmark Methods for Forms Without landmarks: Localizing Group Differences in Outline Shape. Med Image Anal 1: 225-243.
Bruzek J (2002) A Method for Visual Determination of Sex, Using the Human Hip Bone. Am J Phys Anthropol 117: 157-168.
Buikstra J, Mielke J (1985) Demography, diet and health. En: The analysis of prehistoric diets, Gilbert RI, Mielke J (ed), pp: 191-223.
Buikstra J, Ubelaker D (1994) Standards for Data Collection From Human Skeletal Remains. Arkansas Archaeological Survey Research Series 44, Fayetteville, Estados Unidos.
Bulygina E, Mitteroecker P, Aiello L (2006) Ontogeney of Facial Dimorphism and Patterns of Individual Development Within One Human Population. Am J Phys Anthropol 131: 432-443.
Catálogo Antropología Física (1988) Inventario de colecciones de antropología biológica del Museo Etnográfico "J.B. Ambrosetti". Inédito.
Cheverud JM (1995) Morphological integration in the saddle-back tamarin (Saguinus fusciollis) cranium. Am Nat 145: 63-89.
Dahinten SL, Pucciarelli HM (1986) Variations in Sexual Dimorphism in the Skulls of Rats subjected to Malnutrition, Castration and Treatment with Gonadal Hormones. Am J Phys Anthropol 71 (1): 63-67.
Eveleth PB (1975) Differences between ethnic groups in sex dimorphism of adult height. Ann Hum Biol 2:35-39.
Ferembach D, Schwidetzky I, Stloukal M (1977-79) Raccomandazioni per la determinazione dell'età e del sesso sullo scheletro. Rivista di Antropologia 60: 5-51.
Franklin D, O´Higgins P, Oxnard CE, Dadour I (2007) Sexual Dimorphism and Population Variation in the Adult Mandible. Forensic Application of Geometric Morphometrics. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 3 (1): 15-22.
Frayer DW, Wolpoff MH (1985) Sexual dimorphism. Ann Rev Anthropol 14: 429-473.
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Gonzalez PN (2008) Morfometría Geométrica aplicada al Análisis del Dimorfismo Sexual en Restos Óseos Humanos de Individuos Adultos y Subadultos. Tesis Doctoral Inédita. Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.
Gonzalez PN, Bernal V, Perez I (2009) Analysis of Sexual Dimorphism of Craniofacial Traits Using Geometric Morphometrics Techniques. Int. J. Osteoarchaeol 21(1): 82-91.
Gray JP, Wolfe LD (1980) Height and Sexual Dimorphism of Stature Among Human Societies. Am J Phys Anthropol 53: 441-456.
Hamilton ME (1982) Sexual Dimorphism in Skeletal Samples. En Sexual dimorphism in Homo sapiens, Hall R (ed) Praeger, Nueva York, Estados Unidos, pp: 107-163.
Howells WW (1973) Cranial Variation in Man: A Study by Multivariate Analysis of Patterns of Difference among Recent Human Populations. Papers of the Peabody Museum no. 67. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Inglaterra.
Klingenberg CP (2011) MorphoJ: An Integrated Software Package for Geometric Morphometrics. Mol Ecol Resour 11 (2): 353-357.
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Leigh SR (1992) Patterns of Variation in the Ontogeny of Primate Body Size Dimorphism. J Hum Evol 23 (1): 27-50.
Lieberman DE, Pearson OM, Mowbray KM (2000) Basicranial influence on overall cranial shape. J Hum Evol 38: 291-315.
Loth SR, Henneberg M (1996) Mandibular ramus flexure: a new morphologic indicator of sexual dimorphism in the human skeleton. Am J Phys Anthropol 99 (3): 473-485.
Meindl RS, Russel KS (1998) Recent Advances in Method and Theory in Paleodemography. Annu Rev Anthropol 27: 375-399.
Mitteroecker P, Bookstein FL (2009) The Ontogenetic Trajectory of the Phenotypic Covariance Matrix, with examples from craniofacial shape in rats and humans. Evolution 63 (3): 727-737.
Molleson T, Cruse K, Mays S (1998) Some Sexually Dimorphic Features of the Human Juvenile Skull and their Value in Sex Determination in Inmature Skeletal Remains. J Archeaol Sci 25: 719-728.
Oxnard CE (1983) Sexual dimorphism in the overall proportions of primates. Am J Primatol 4:1-22.
Perez SI, Bernal V, Gonzalez PN (2006) Differences Between Methods of Sliding Semi-Landmarks: Its Importance in Human Population Analysis. J Anat 208: 769-784.
Phenice TW (1969) A Newly Developed Visual Method of Sexing the Os Pubis. Am J Phys Anthropol 30 (2): 297-301.
Pucciarelli HM (1980) The Effect of Race, Sex and Nutrition on Craniofacial Differentation in Rats. A Multivariate Analysis. Am J Phys Anthropol 53: 359-368.
R Core Team (2012) R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. 39. Buikstra J, Mielke J (1985) Demography, diet and health. En: The analysis of prehistoric diets, Gilbert RI, Mielke J (ed), pp: 191-223.
Schutkowski H (1993) Sex Determination of Infant and Juvenile Skeletons: I. Morphognostic Features. Am J Phys Anthropol 90 (2): 199-205.
Shea BT (1985) Bivariate and Multivariate Growth Allometry: Statistical and Biological Considerations. J Zool 206 (3): 367-390.
Shea BT (1986) Ontogenetic Approaches to Sexual Dimorphism in Anthropoids. J Hum Evol 1 (2): 97-110.
Steyn M, Iscan MY (1998) Sexual dimorphism in the crania and mandibles of South African whites. Forensic Sci Int 98 (1-2): 9-16.
Stini WA (1969) Nutritional Stress and Growth: Sex Difference in Adaptive Response. Am J Phys Anthropol 31(3): 417-426.
Ubelaker DH (1978) Human Skeletal Remains. Excavation, Analysis, Interpretation. Aldine Manuals in Archaeology, Chicago, Estados Unidos.
Vick AE (2005) Sexual dimorphism and the transition to agriculture a meta-analysis. Tesis inédita. Universidad de Florida.
Walrath DE, Turner P, Bruzek J (2004) Reliability Test of the Visual Assessment of Cranial Traits for Sex Determination. Am J Phys Anthropol 125: 132-137.
Washburn SL (1948) Sex Differences in the Pubic Bone. Am J Phys Anthropol 6 (2): 199-208.
Albanese J (2003) A Metric Method for Sex Determination using the Hipbone and the Femur. J Forensic Sci 48: 1-11.
Berdnikovs S (2005) Evolution of Sexual Dimorphism in Mustelids. Tesis Doctoral Inédita. University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Estados Unidos.
Blanco MB, Godfrey LR (2006) Craniofacial Sexual Dimorphism in Alouatta palliata, the mantled howling monkey. J Zool 270 (2): 268-276.
Bookstein FL (1991) Morphometric Tools for Landmark Data. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, Inglaterra.
Bookstein FL (1997) Landmark Methods for Forms Without landmarks: Localizing Group Differences in Outline Shape. Med Image Anal 1: 225-243.
Bruzek J (2002) A Method for Visual Determination of Sex, Using the Human Hip Bone. Am J Phys Anthropol 117: 157-168.
Buikstra J, Mielke J (1985) Demography, diet and health. En: The analysis of prehistoric diets, Gilbert RI, Mielke J (ed), pp: 191-223.
Buikstra J, Ubelaker D (1994) Standards for Data Collection From Human Skeletal Remains. Arkansas Archaeological Survey Research Series 44, Fayetteville, Estados Unidos.
Bulygina E, Mitteroecker P, Aiello L (2006) Ontogeney of Facial Dimorphism and Patterns of Individual Development Within One Human Population. Am J Phys Anthropol 131: 432-443.
Catálogo Antropología Física (1988) Inventario de colecciones de antropología biológica del Museo Etnográfico "J.B. Ambrosetti". Inédito.
Cheverud JM (1995) Morphological integration in the saddle-back tamarin (Saguinus fusciollis) cranium. Am Nat 145: 63-89.
Dahinten SL, Pucciarelli HM (1986) Variations in Sexual Dimorphism in the Skulls of Rats subjected to Malnutrition, Castration and Treatment with Gonadal Hormones. Am J Phys Anthropol 71 (1): 63-67.
Eveleth PB (1975) Differences between ethnic groups in sex dimorphism of adult height. Ann Hum Biol 2:35-39.
Ferembach D, Schwidetzky I, Stloukal M (1977-79) Raccomandazioni per la determinazione dell'età e del sesso sullo scheletro. Rivista di Antropologia 60: 5-51.
Franklin D, O´Higgins P, Oxnard CE, Dadour I (2007) Sexual Dimorphism and Population Variation in the Adult Mandible. Forensic Application of Geometric Morphometrics. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 3 (1): 15-22.
Frayer DW, Wolpoff MH (1985) Sexual dimorphism. Ann Rev Anthropol 14: 429-473.
Gambier M, Michieli CT, Iantanos N (1988) La fase cultural Punta del Barro. Instituto de Investigaciones Arqueológicas y Museo, Facultad de Filosofía, Humanidades y Artes, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, San Juan, Argentina.
Gonzalez PN (2008) Morfometría Geométrica aplicada al Análisis del Dimorfismo Sexual en Restos Óseos Humanos de Individuos Adultos y Subadultos. Tesis Doctoral Inédita. Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.
Gonzalez PN, Bernal V, Perez I (2009) Analysis of Sexual Dimorphism of Craniofacial Traits Using Geometric Morphometrics Techniques. Int. J. Osteoarchaeol 21(1): 82-91.
Gray JP, Wolfe LD (1980) Height and Sexual Dimorphism of Stature Among Human Societies. Am J Phys Anthropol 53: 441-456.
Hamilton ME (1982) Sexual Dimorphism in Skeletal Samples. En Sexual dimorphism in Homo sapiens, Hall R (ed) Praeger, Nueva York, Estados Unidos, pp: 107-163.
Howells WW (1973) Cranial Variation in Man: A Study by Multivariate Analysis of Patterns of Difference among Recent Human Populations. Papers of the Peabody Museum no. 67. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Inglaterra.
Klingenberg CP (2011) MorphoJ: An Integrated Software Package for Geometric Morphometrics. Mol Ecol Resour 11 (2): 353-357.
Lehman-Nitsche R (1910) Catálogo de la Sección Antropología del Museo de La Plata. Imprenta Coni Hnos, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Leigh SR (1992) Patterns of Variation in the Ontogeny of Primate Body Size Dimorphism. J Hum Evol 23 (1): 27-50.
Lieberman DE, Pearson OM, Mowbray KM (2000) Basicranial influence on overall cranial shape. J Hum Evol 38: 291-315.
Loth SR, Henneberg M (1996) Mandibular ramus flexure: a new morphologic indicator of sexual dimorphism in the human skeleton. Am J Phys Anthropol 99 (3): 473-485.
Meindl RS, Russel KS (1998) Recent Advances in Method and Theory in Paleodemography. Annu Rev Anthropol 27: 375-399.
Mitteroecker P, Bookstein FL (2009) The Ontogenetic Trajectory of the Phenotypic Covariance Matrix, with examples from craniofacial shape in rats and humans. Evolution 63 (3): 727-737.
Molleson T, Cruse K, Mays S (1998) Some Sexually Dimorphic Features of the Human Juvenile Skull and their Value in Sex Determination in Inmature Skeletal Remains. J Archeaol Sci 25: 719-728.
Oxnard CE (1983) Sexual dimorphism in the overall proportions of primates. Am J Primatol 4:1-22.
Perez SI, Bernal V, Gonzalez PN (2006) Differences Between Methods of Sliding Semi-Landmarks: Its Importance in Human Population Analysis. J Anat 208: 769-784.
Phenice TW (1969) A Newly Developed Visual Method of Sexing the Os Pubis. Am J Phys Anthropol 30 (2): 297-301.
Pucciarelli HM (1980) The Effect of Race, Sex and Nutrition on Craniofacial Differentation in Rats. A Multivariate Analysis. Am J Phys Anthropol 53: 359-368.
R Core Team (2012) R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. 39. Buikstra J, Mielke J (1985) Demography, diet and health. En: The analysis of prehistoric diets, Gilbert RI, Mielke J (ed), pp: 191-223.
Schutkowski H (1993) Sex Determination of Infant and Juvenile Skeletons: I. Morphognostic Features. Am J Phys Anthropol 90 (2): 199-205.
Shea BT (1985) Bivariate and Multivariate Growth Allometry: Statistical and Biological Considerations. J Zool 206 (3): 367-390.
Shea BT (1986) Ontogenetic Approaches to Sexual Dimorphism in Anthropoids. J Hum Evol 1 (2): 97-110.
Steyn M, Iscan MY (1998) Sexual dimorphism in the crania and mandibles of South African whites. Forensic Sci Int 98 (1-2): 9-16.
Stini WA (1969) Nutritional Stress and Growth: Sex Difference in Adaptive Response. Am J Phys Anthropol 31(3): 417-426.
Ubelaker DH (1978) Human Skeletal Remains. Excavation, Analysis, Interpretation. Aldine Manuals in Archaeology, Chicago, Estados Unidos.
Vick AE (2005) Sexual dimorphism and the transition to agriculture a meta-analysis. Tesis inédita. Universidad de Florida.
Walrath DE, Turner P, Bruzek J (2004) Reliability Test of the Visual Assessment of Cranial Traits for Sex Determination. Am J Phys Anthropol 125: 132-137.
Washburn SL (1948) Sex Differences in the Pubic Bone. Am J Phys Anthropol 6 (2): 199-208.
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MENÉNDEZ, L. P., & LOTTO, F. (2014). Comparison of techniques for determining sex on human populations: differential estimates from the pelvis and skull in a sample from San Juan, Argentina. Revista Ciencias Morfológicas, 15(1). Retrieved from https://revistas.unlp.edu.ar/Morfol/article/view/842
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