An unknown skull shows pronounced shovel shaping of the upper incisors, circular to elliptical orbital openings, wide projecting zygomatic arches and a flat facial profile. The most likely racial group is:

• A Negroid
• B Australoid
• C Caucasoid
• D Mongoloid ✓

Explanation

Shovel shaped incisors, round or elliptical orbits, wide cheekbones and a flattened facial skeleton are the classic Mongoloid traits. The Caucasoid skull shows a narrow nasal aperture, orthognathic face and parabolic palate, while the Negroid skull shows marked alveolar prognathism, a wide nasal aperture and minimal incisor shovelling, which eliminates both distractors.

Reference: Parikh's Textbook of Medical Jurisprudence, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 9th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.