Auricular Anthropometry of Indigenes of Uturu, Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The auricle is an important cephalofacial part of the human body that is of forensic importance that portrays information about one’s age, sex, race and ethnic group. Aim: This study was therefore conducted to establish auricular anthropometric data and sexual dimorphic parameters of Uturu indigenes in Southeastern Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A total of 370 subjects (185 males and 185 females) of Uturu indigenes who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. Auricular measurements which include auricular length and width and lobular length and width, as well as lobular attachments were obtained in inches. Data obtained was analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. Results: Total mean auricular length, auricular width, lobular length and lobular width in males was 2.11, 1.35, 0.66 and 0.46 respectively while same parameters in females were 2.06, 1.22, 0.66 and 0.44 respectively. No significant sexual dimorphism was observed in the measured parameters except for auricular width (P=0.01). Free earlobe was prevalent (68.92%: n=255) in the study population especially among the female subjects. Conclusion: The mean values for all auricular measurements were higher in males than in females except for lobular length which was the same in both sexes. Results The findings from this study provide useful evaluation of the auricular morphological characteristics among the study population will be useful in the documentation of auricular morphometric data, especially within Nigerian population.