Morphometric Study of the Human Scapula and Its Medicolegal Relevance at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital

The scapula is a flat, triangular bone of the pectoral girdle whose morphometric parameters have been studied for their utility in sex determination, stature estimation, and ancestry assessment from skeletal remains. In medicolegal contexts, accurate scapular measurements from unidentified skeletal remains can narrow the biological profile needed for forensic identification. However, scapular osteometric standards derived from non-Nigerian populations may yield inaccurate results when applied to West African remains. This study aims to document scapular morphometric parameters, including maximum scapular length, maximum scapular breadth, infraspinous length, and glenoid cavity dimensions, from cadaveric specimens and dry bone collections at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, South West Nigeria. Data will be analysed for sex differences using discriminant function analysis, and accuracy of sex estimation will be determined. The study anticipates producing scapular osteometric data specific to the South West Nigerian population that will complement existing forensic anthropology resources and improve the accuracy of biological profile estimation in medicolegal casework.

Keywords: scapula morphometry, sex determination, forensic anthropology, skeletal anatomy, Ile-Ife