MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE EXTERNAL HUMAN EAR IN A NIGERIAN POPULATION

Morphologic analysis of the human body has been a useful tool in forensic science, reconstructive surgeries and diagnostic purposes. The human ear with its unique individualistic features has been a very useful tool in personal identification. This study involves investigation into anatomical disparity of the outer human ear (103 males and 83 females) aged 17-26 years amongst the Ijaw population of Nigeria. The biometric variations such as shape and size of the external ear were investigated in all participants. Anatomical landmarks of the ear such as helix, earlobe and thickness of the earlobe were examined in the external ear. In this study, the oval shape is more prevalent in both males and females. Also the other shapes (round, triangular and rectangular) were observed. There is also bilateral asymmetry in both males and females. Normally rolled helix of the ear was common in males (29.1%) and flat helix of the ear was common in females (42.2%), also the other shapes of the helix like concave, wide covering scapha and rolled were observed in both sexes among the study population. This study provides normative baseline data of the external human ear that is of importance in personal identification in the population under study.