ABFM Forensic Anthropology & Identification Flashcards
6 cards from real ABFM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 ABFM Forensic Anthropology & Identification flashcards as text
Which skeletal region is considered the most reliable for determining biological sex in forensic anthropology?
Answer: Pelvis morphology
The pelvis, particularly the subpubic angle and sciatic notch, shows the greatest sexual dimorphism and is most reliable for sex determination.
What skeletal indicator is primarily used to estimate biological age in skeletonized juvenile remains?
Answer: Epiphyseal fusion and dental eruption
Epiphyseal fusion patterns and dental eruption sequences provide reliable age estimates in subadult skeletal remains.
Stature estimation from skeletal remains is most accurately determined using which bones?
Answer: Long bones of the limbs (femur, tibia)
Long bones, especially the femur and tibia, have the strongest correlation with living stature through established regression formulae.
In forensic anthropology, what does 'the biological profile' include?
Answer: Sex, age, stature, and ancestry estimates
The biological profile is a skeletal assessment encompassing estimated biological sex, age at death, stature, and ancestry to narrow identification.
Which dental feature is most useful for estimating age in adult skeletal remains when epiphyses are fused?
Answer: Root resorption and wear patterns
In adults, dental root resorption, attrition (wear), and cementum annulation correlate with advancing age and are used for age estimation.
Forensic anthropologists use population-specific regression equations when estimating stature because?
Answer: Body proportions vary significantly among ancestral groups
Limb-to-stature proportions differ across ancestral populations, so population-specific formulae improve stature estimation accuracy.