ANP 206 MSU final

What methods are used to estimate age at death in skeletal remains?

Epiphyseal fusion, dental wear, cranial sutures, degenerative changes.

What traits are used to determine population affinity?

Cranial and dental traits.

What is the most accurate method for sex estimation in skeletal remains?

Pelvis.

How is stature estimated from skeletal remains?

From long bone measurements.

What are the types of trauma identified in skeletal remains?

Antemortem (healed), perimortem (fresh bone), postmortem (dry bone).

What methods can be used to identify an individual from skeletal remains?

Dental records, DNA, implants, frontal sinuses, anomalies, personal items.

What are the manners of death that can be determined?

Homicide, suicide, accidental, natural, undetermined.

What does the cause of death refer to?

The physiological reason for death.

What is meant by the mechanism of death?

How the cause occurred (e.g., gunshot fracture patterns).

What is the role of DNA in identification methods?

Good for small-scale enclosed cases; mtDNA from maternal line.

Why are teeth useful in forensic identification?

They are hard tissues and good for matching dental work.

When can fingerprints be used for identification?

Only if soft tissue remains.

What are additional identifiers in forensic anthropology?

Frontal sinuses, dental work, implants, septum shape.

Do all humans have 206 bones?

No, not everyone has 206 bones.

What factors are considered when dating a skeleton?

Environment, season, temperature.

What is taphonomy?

Decomposition, dispersal, erosion, burial, modification.

What are the mortis stages in decomposition?

Rigor, livor, algor.

What effect does mercury embalming have on bones?

It stains bones brown.

What is the purpose of POW/MIA missions in forensic anthropology?

Records, excavation, identification.

What is the significance of archaeological analysis?

It is used for Minimum Number of Individuals (MNI).

What types of material evidence are analyzed in forensic anthropology?

Jewelry, glasses, buttons.

What information can surgical implants provide?

Serial numbers, screw thread counts.

What are the stages of decomposition?

Fresh, bloat, active decay, advanced decay, skeletal.

What key terms are associated with forensic anthropology?

Antemortem, perimortem, postmortem, dry bone fracture.

What is the overall goal of forensic anthropology methods?

To identify one individual.

Q: What does the biological profile include?

Age, sex, population affinity, stature, trauma, and identity.

Q: How is age at death estimated?

Epiphyseal fusion, dental wear, cranial sutures, and degenerative changes.

Q: What bones are best for sex estimation?

Pelvis (most accurate) and cranium.

Q: How is stature determined?

Regression formulas based on long bone length.

5. Q: What is the difference between antemortem, perimortem, and postmortem trauma?

Antemortem shows healing; perimortem occurs when bone is fresh; postmortem occurs after death on dry bone.

Q: What is manner of death?

Homicide, suicide, accidental, natural, or undetermined.

Q: What is cause of death?

The physiological reason a person died.

Q: What is mechanism of death?

How the cause occurs, e.g., trauma patterns on bone.

Q: When is DNA useful?

Small-scale cases with reference families (plane crashes).

Q: When is DNA less useful?

Large mass disasters (e.g., tsunamis).

Q: Why are teeth useful for identification?

They resist decomposition and preserve dental work.

12. Q: Why are fingerprints usually not available on skeletons?

Lack of soft tissue.

13. Q: What anatomical identifiers are unique?

Frontal sinus shape, dental work, deviated septum, surgical implants.

14. Q: Do humans always have exactly 206 bones?

No, bone counts vary naturally.

15. Q: What affects decomposition?

Temperature, humidity, season, environment.

16. Q: What does taphonomy study?

Decomposition, dispersal, erosion, burial, modification.

17. Q: what happens when the body is the algor mortis stage

body cooling, body stiffening, right after death

18. Q: What is adipocere?

Gray, waxy substance showing moist burial conditions.

19. Q: What does mercury embalming do to bone?

Stains it chocolate brown.

20. Q: What indicates presence of volatile fatty acids?

Bones that are dark, shiny, tacky, and sweet-smelling.

21. Q: What do POW/MIA recovery teams do?

Investigate, excavate, and identify missing service members.

22. Q: What is MNI?

Minimum number of individuals present.

23. Q: What material evidence helps identify remains?

Jewelry, glasses, military items.

24. Q: How are dental records used?

Matching dental patterns and interventions.

25. Q: What is mtDNA?

Mitochondrial DNA passed maternally.

26. Q: What can chest X-rays help with?

Comparing antemortem and postmortem vertebrae.

27. Q: What are the stages of decomposition?

Fresh, bloat, active decay, advanced decay, skeletonization.

What was the average number of donated bodies per year from 1981-1984?

An average of 3 donations per year.

How does body positioning and covering affect decomposition?

A body faced down and covered in plastic decomposes faster.

What are the two most important factors in decomposition?

Relative temperature and humidity.

Where and what was the fastest recorded decomposition time?

At Texas State—24 hours.

What is the Anthropological Research Facility known for?

Studying decomposition patterns, buried and embalmed bodies, bullet effects, and biochemical changes.

What biochemical indicators are studied during decomposition?

Volatile fatty acids in soil and biochemical analysis of tissue.

How do injuries affect insect activity?

Injuries attract maggots, which clean out the wound.

Do maggots prefer sunlight?

No, they avoid sunlight.

What are the main methods to determine time since death?

Forensic entomology, soil analysis, tissue/fluid analysis, and expert observation.

What factors influence decomposition?

Exposure, trauma, clothing, surface vs. burial, temperature, scavengers, humidity, sunlight, and insect activity.

How does sunlight affect decomposition?

It can slow external decomposition but speed internal processes.

What daily changes occur in decomposition?

Puffier face, egg-to-maggot progression, maggot mass heat (~105°F), tissue drying, and maggots leaving to pupate.

How quickly do flies arrive after death?

Almost immediately.

What is gloving?

Separation of skin layers during decomposition; the "glove" still contains fingerprints.

What was the master's thesis project about?

Wrapping and placement method effects on decomposition.

How were bodies wrapped?

Tightly wrapped, coverings folded over head/feet, rolled into shrouds.

Why were bodies placed within 15 feet of each other?

To control environmental differences.

What is taphonomy?

Study of what happens to a body after death.

What does forensic taphonomy include?

Decomposition within environmental and contextual settings.

How do raccoons affect decomposition?

They may remove tissue; forensic taphonomy determines if it's natural scavenging.

What is forensic anthropology?

The application of anthropological methods and theory to legal investigations, especially involving human remains.

How is mtDNA inherited?

Mitochondrial DNA is passed from mother to all her children (both daughters and sons). Only daughters pass it to the next generation.

what happens when the body is the rigor mortis stage

Begins 2-6 hours after death, slowly disappears after 24-48 hours as decomposition breaks down muscle fibers, starts in face (jaw and eyelids) and spreading through body until muscles break down

what happens when the body is the livor mortis stage

20 minutes to 3 hours after, Blood settles to the lowest point of the body due to gravity, Causes purple-red discoloration in areas where the blood pools, fixed livor is 8-12 hrs after and when blood doesnt move anymore

Forensic entomology

is the study of insects to estimate time of death in forensic cases.

Tissue/fluid analysis

involves examining biological samples like blood, urine, or tissues to detect substances, toxins, or pathogens, aiding in forensic investigations and determining cause of death.

soil analysis

is the examination of soil samples to determine their composition, origin, and possible links to a crime scene, providing valuable evidence in forensic investigations.