Nasal Parameters Of Itsekiris And Urhobos Of Nigeria

Abstract

Variation is one of the most important phenomena occurring in humans, and is attributed to many factors such as mutation and natural selection. Many studies have emphasized the importance of anthropometric measurements as a means of studying variation in human populations as well as a veritable tool in forensic science for crime detection. This study investigates the nasal breadth, nasal length and nasal indices of individuals of Itsekiri and Urhobo ethnic extraction, as a baseline study which may be necessary for future reference in these regard. Nasal length and nasal breadth of 1000 living Itsekiri and Urhobo people, aged 25-45 years, were measured. From these data, nasal indices were calculated and results were compared with published standards for various world populations. The results showed that on the average, the Urhobos had a mean nasal index of 89.63 and the Itsekiri’s had a mean nasal index of 90.74. Sexual dimorphism was also observed in the ethnic groups studied with males having significantly higher nasal index values than the females (p < 0.05). Therefore, the two ethnic groups fall within the same nose type which is platyrrhine (short and broad nosed) expected of an African population. The findings of this study have confirmed anthropological differences amongst the two Nigerian ethnic groups examined.