Szekessy Vilmos (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 62. (Budapest 1970)

Bottyán, O.: The variations of the palatum with respect to sexual dimorphism I.

With regard to the correlation of age groups and the palatal depths, one may state that both the male and female palates are the deepest in the adult age, but the difference against the other age groups is considerable in only the infant and juvenile age groups. In studying the correlation of the palatal depth and width I calculated the rate of correlation between the two measurements on the basis of 314 male and 228 female data. In this respect, the male skulls yielded in their totality a significant correlation on the 1 per cent probability level, whilst the female crania showed in their totality a complete uncorrelatedness (r = 0.03). The sexual dimorphism, calculable from this difference extant between the males and the females can, by its 4.5 per cent probability level, be considered significant. The correlation of groups from the Avar Period (VI-IX. c.) and the Árpádian Age (X-XV. c.) is different for the males (the probability levels being 0.1 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively), while the uncorrelatedness is of identical rate in the females. Accordingly, the sexual dimorphism is significant (2.3 per cent probability level) for the Avar Period, whereas there is practically none, with respect to the rate of correlation, in the Árpádian Age. 1 deemed a study of the correlation between the palatal depth and width of no importance when examined by age groups, and the more so as the relatively small individual numbers thus obtained would have made doubtful the reliability of the entire investigation. 3. The length of the spina nasalis posterior Accorting to CAMPBELL'S study, CRAUSS found that the spina nasalis posterior fails to occur in all cases in the skulls of Australian natives. The occurrence was merely 75 per cent. On the other hand, CAMPBELL, who examined also indigenous Australians, states that the spina was present in all individuals constituting his various series, although rather considerable differences in measurements could be established. Unfortunately, CAMPBELL failed to submit any further detailed data on the spina nasalis posterior. In his study, MIDDLETON-SHAW presents also numerical data concerning the examination of Bantu skulls. Also age groupings are given, with mean values, but no separation as to sexes. The results are: 0-5 years: N = 10, M = 2.8 mm; 6-12 years: N = 19, M = 4.0 mm ; 13-17 years : N = 22, M = 4.3 mm ; older than 17 years : N = 129, M = 5.0 mm. All these data display clearly the increasing trend of the spina, concurrent with the advancing years of age. In my research material, I measured the spina nasalis posterior on 590 skulls, and then examined in groups of sexes and ages concerning the rate of sexual dimorphism and the trends of measurement changes in the course of ageing. The per cent frequencies of the spinal length in adults are presented in Figure 9, grouped into male and female data. Figure 10 displays the spinal lengths in mm, from the infant to the senile age groups, as well as the adult male and female mean values. The Figure therefore exhibits clearly the rate of sexual dimorphism, it being 0.48 mm concerning the mean value. With due attention to the deviation value, an estimated 2 mm on the basis of Figure 9, the rate of sexual dimorphism will be found to be rather small. By grouping as to age, the rate of growth of the spina nasalis will be observable in the infant, juvenile, and adult classes, but also its decrease in older groups. The spina nasalis posterior showed anomalies in few cases only. A divided, bifurcate spina was found in merely two males in the research material, and a