A skull recovered from skeletal remains shows a long, narrow cranium with a projecting occiput, a narrow nasal aperture with a sharp nasal sill, marked alveolar prognathism, and a retreating zygomatic arch that lies posterior to the external auditory meatus. These features are MOST consistent with which racial group?

• A Caucasian (European)
• B Australoid ✓
• C Mongoloid (Asian)
• D Negroid (African)

Explanation

The Australoid skull combines dolichocephaly, a narrow nasal aperture with a sharp (nasal) sill, pronounced alveolar prognathism, a receding forehead, heavy brow ridges, and a zygoma placed far back so the temporal fossa appears deep. Caucasians have a narrow nose with a sharp sill but minimal prognathism and a parabolic palate. Negroids show a wide nasal aperture with a guttered sill and round orbit margins. Mongoloids show a broad flat face, forward zygomatic arches, and shovel-shaped incisors.

Reference: Parikh's Textbook of Medical Jurisprudence, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 7th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.