Waraporn Sakaew; Tansita Arnanteerakul; Somsuda Somintara; Somsiri Ratanasuwon; Nongnut Uabundit; Sittichai Iamsaard; Kowit Chaisiwamongkol; Amnart Chaichun & Wiphawi Hipkaeo

Skeletal remains are crucial in forensic identification of the sex, especially human skulls including the styloid process, a bony projection from the skull. Hence, the objectives of the present study were undertaken to assess the value of the styloid process for the sex identification of unknown skulls and also to investigate the prevalence of elongated styloid process in 102 human dry skulls from the northeast Thai population. As a result, the interstyloid distances at both base and tip of the styloid processes were found to be significantly different between male and female specimens, although no significant difference was found in the length of the styloid process between males and females. In addition, the occurrence of the elongated styloid process was not associated with the gender, although its prevalent laterality on the left was recognized. It is suggested that the styloid process can be applied to the sex identification by measuring the interstyloid distance at the base or the tip of these processes.

KEY WORDS: Styloid process; Elongated styloid process; Interstyloid distance; Sex identification.

SAKAEW, W.; ARNANTEERAKUL, T.; SOMINTARA, S.; RATANASUWON, S.: UABUNDIT, N.; IAMSAARD, S.; CHAISIWAMONGKOL, K.; CHAICHUN, A. & HIPKAEO, W. Sexual dimorphism using the interstyloid distances and clinical implication for elongated styloid process in Northeastern Thailand. Int. J. Morphol., 34(4):1223-1227, 2016.