European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Background: Morphological features of human are often used as “Biometrics” traits aimed to establish the identity of individuals which is used by forensic experts and physical anthropologists to identify suspects or victims according to age, gender and race. Objective: Present study aim to determine the racial and sexual variation in the morphometric and biometric characteristics of the external ear and earlobe among Malaysian population in Shah Alam. Methods: The study included 294 adults distributed equally to have 49 participants from each gender and race. The ear length (EL), width (EW), ear shape and lobule attachment were studied to characterize race and gender. Results: The mean EL and EW were 63.4 mm and 29.3mm respectively without significant bilateral variations (P 0.792 and P 0.835 respectively). There is significant intraracial gender variation; EL was biggest among Indian females (68.8 mm) and smallest among Chinese males (60.7 mm). EW was biggest among Indian males (31.2 mm) and smallest among Chinese males (27.1 mm). Ear lobe was attached in both right and left sides in 78 (53.06%) and 61 (41.49%) of the studied males and females respectively. Earlobe was attached in males 28 (57.14%), 31 (63.26%) and 19 (38.77%) of the Malay, Chinese and Indian respectively while, it was attached in females 21 (42.85%), 21 (42.85%), and 19 (38.77%) of the Malay, Chinese and Indian. The oval, round, rectangular and triangular ear shapes are nearly equally distributed among the studied sample. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the crucial role of ear biometrics in race and gender estimation and serve as database for the auricle morphology considering sexual and racial variation among Malaysian population that enable ear prints to be used as identification tool in Malaysia.