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Relationships between the frontal sinus and climatic conditions: A skeletal approach to cold adaptation
Author(s) -
Koertvelyessy T.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/ajpa.1330370202
Subject(s) - crania , frontal sinus , adaptation (eye) , skull , sinus (botany) , anatomy , biology , ecology , neuroscience , genus
Previous studies in physical anthropology, using superficial facial features, show that the relationship between human facial morphology and climate is not clear. An alternate approach to the problem is the investigation of the deeper facio‐anatomical structures (i.e., cranial sinuses and/or foramina) in relation to climatic variables. The present investigation statistically analyses the relationship between climatic conditions (wind chill equivalent temperatures and absolute humidities) and the occurrence and size of frontal sinuses in 153 Eskimo crania. Conditional results from tests of significance of differences and correlation suggest a relationship between low wind chill equivalent temperatures and small frontal sinus surface areas. These results are interpreted in light of cranial sinus function and environmental physiology.