Sexual dimorphism in the pelvic midplane and its relationship to Neandertal reproductive patterns

✍ Scribed by Walrath, Dana E.; Glantz, Michelle M.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 58 KB
• Volume: 100
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0002-9483
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-8644(199605)100:1<89::aid-ajpa9>3.0.co;2-8

✦ Synopsis

The fragmentary nature of the fossil record has limited the analysis of the Neandertal pelvis to the superior pubic ramus and the pelvic inlet. From an obstetric viewpoint, the pelvic midplane or "plane of least dimensions," defined by the distance between the ischial spines, must be considered in the analysis of hominid reproduction. We examined the relationship between BSD and weight in a mixed sex hospital population undergoing diagnostic computed tomography (CT) scans (41 females and 40 males). Because femoral head diameter squared (FH2) has been used as a proxy for weight in skeletal populations, it was also analyzed with respect to BSD and weight. Bivariate regression analysis of BSD with other body dimensions indicates the presence of significant sex differences. In females, but not in males, weight is a statistically significant predictor of BSD. FH2 is a n even better predictor of BSD in females while nonsignificant in males. Although