Stature estimation and sex determination using anthropometric measurements of normal human ear auricle

Identification is a subfield of forensics concerned with identifying someone from remains. People cannot only be identified from traces of their DNA, or from their teeth but also from anthropometric measurements of their body parts. Many studies have been conducted for estimation of stature from percutaneous measurements of various body parts such as arm, leg etc. The aim of the present study was to estimate stature and sex of an individual using anthropometric measurement of normal ear auricle and to correlate between right and left ear symmetry. The present study is a cross sectional descriptive survey conducted over a period of 3 months under Forensic Medicine department in Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore with 297 medical students included as the study population. Vernier Calipers and stadiometer were used to measure the morphometric measurements. The variables measured included stature, total ear height, ear width, lobular height and lobular width of both the sides. It was observed that there is no significant asymmetry between ears of both sides in either sex. Ear measurements and stature are significantly higher in males as compared to females. The lobular lengths and lobular width were significantly higher in females as compared to males. The results of the present study could aid in disaster victim identification, aiding in design of ear aids and help in further study of cosmetic surgery and congenital malformations.