Anthropometric Assessment of Earlobe Patterns among the Indigenous People of Ibadan, Nigeria

Background: Earlobe morphology is a distinct and heritable trait that varies among populations and has applications in anthropology, genetics, and forensic identification. Despite its relevance, limited data exist on the distribution of earlobe patterns among the indigenous population of Ibadan, Nigeria. Aim: This study investigated the distribution of earlobe attachment patterns among the indigenous people of Ibadan, with a focus on age and gender associations. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 320 respondents aged 18–37 years. Participants were categorised into four age groups: 18–22, 23–27, 28–32, and 33–37 years old. Earlobe patterns were classified as attached or detached, and their distribution was analyzed by age and gender using descriptive statistics. Multi-stage random sampling was used. A questionnaire was administered and retrieved. Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS version 23). Chi-square test was used as an inferential statistic. Results: The majority of respondents were in the 18–22 age group (62.5%), followed by 23–27 years (21.3%), 28–32 years (11.6%), and 33–37 years (4.7%). Overall, attached earlobes were more prevalent (58.1%) than detached earlobes (41.9%). By age, attached earlobes were most frequent among respondents aged 33–37 years (73.3%), while detached earlobes were more common among younger groups (18–32 years, ~42%). Gender analysis revealed no significant difference: 55.6% of males and 60% of females had attached earlobes. Conclusion: The findings indicate that attached earlobes are the dominant phenotype among the indigenous people of Ibadan, with no gender differences observed. The study underscores the value of earlobe morphology as a simple, non-invasive anthropometric marker with potential applications in population genetics and forensic anthropology.