Evaluation of the obturator foramen as a sex assessment trait

Correctly assessing sex from skeletal remains is one of the main elements of creating a biological profile. Many traits allow for this, the obturator foramen being one. However, research on its accuracy has provided mixed results. This study examines the obturator foramen using a 5-point grading scale to assess the degree of sexual dimorphism in four known age and sex skeletal collections from the UK and South Africa. Overall, sexual dimorphism was found in the obturator foramen when using the new scoring system; however, accuracies for correct sex classification ranged from similar to 46 to similar to 75%. Considering its wide range in accuracy rates across the four samples and difficulty in identifying the subtle changes in morphology, the obturator foramen should only be used as part of a multifactorial assessment of sex.

Automated summary

Correctly assessing sex from skeletal remains is crucial for creating biological profiles. The obturator foramen is a commonly used feature, but its accuracy has been debated. This study examined four skeletal collections from the UK and South Africa, using a grading scale, and found sexual dimorphism in the obturator foramen. However, the accuracy for sex classification varied across different samples and identifying subtle changes in morphology was challenging. Therefore, the obturator foramen should be used as part of a multifactorial assessment of sex.