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Assessment of Sexual Dimorphism on the First and Second Ribs: Exploring Geometric Morphometrics

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Date Issued:
2018
Abstract/Description:
Estimating the sex of unknown human skeletal remains is important to the fields of forensic anthropology, bioarchaeology, and other specialties. I studied sexual dimorphism on the first and second ribs to estimate sex from skeletal remains. I employed two approaches. I used geometric morphometrics to analyze landmark and semilandmark coordinate points to examine the overall shape of the ribs. I also examined the sternal end of the ribs for size using the superior-inferior height (SIH) and anteriorposterior breadth (APB) in a binary logistic regression (BLR) model. Differences in male and female first and second ribs are undetectable when landmark coordinate points are used to capture shape variability, but significant differences in the shape of the ribs, however, are detected through the use of semilandmark coordinate points. Using semilandmark points to estimate sex presented an accuracy rate of 80.7% from the first rib, and 72.9% from the second rib. The use of the sternal end presents consistent results in its ability to estimate sex with an accuracy rate of 84.2%. The BLR model reveals significant differences between males and females than the geometric morphometric approach; it is more applicable for discerning sexual dimorphism of unknown individuals. This study reveals that while geometric morphometrics provides a powerful approach to assessing morphological differences, it is not always better than simpler methods, in this case, simple measurements analyzed through BLR.
Title: Assessment of Sexual Dimorphism on the First and Second Ribs: Exploring Geometric Morphometrics.
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Name(s): Bhramdat, Henna D., author
Brown, Clifford T., Thesis advisor
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Department of Anthropology
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 2018
Date Issued: 2018
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 78 p.
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: Estimating the sex of unknown human skeletal remains is important to the fields of forensic anthropology, bioarchaeology, and other specialties. I studied sexual dimorphism on the first and second ribs to estimate sex from skeletal remains. I employed two approaches. I used geometric morphometrics to analyze landmark and semilandmark coordinate points to examine the overall shape of the ribs. I also examined the sternal end of the ribs for size using the superior-inferior height (SIH) and anteriorposterior breadth (APB) in a binary logistic regression (BLR) model. Differences in male and female first and second ribs are undetectable when landmark coordinate points are used to capture shape variability, but significant differences in the shape of the ribs, however, are detected through the use of semilandmark coordinate points. Using semilandmark points to estimate sex presented an accuracy rate of 80.7% from the first rib, and 72.9% from the second rib. The use of the sternal end presents consistent results in its ability to estimate sex with an accuracy rate of 84.2%. The BLR model reveals significant differences between males and females than the geometric morphometric approach; it is more applicable for discerning sexual dimorphism of unknown individuals. This study reveals that while geometric morphometrics provides a powerful approach to assessing morphological differences, it is not always better than simpler methods, in this case, simple measurements analyzed through BLR.
Identifier: FA00005976 (IID)
Degree granted: Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2018.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Includes bibliography.
Subject(s): Sexual dimorphism (Animals)
Ribs
Morphology
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Sublocation: Digital Library
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005976
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.