现代中国人颞骨乳突后部的形态变异

人类颞骨因其复杂的表面及内部结构成为演化研究的重要解剖部位之一,然而由于缺乏对现代人颞骨形态与变异的细致研究及对比数据,对颞骨一些特征的定义和鉴定价值还存在争议。迄今为止,尚无学者对现代中国人群颞骨形态与变异做过专门研究。有鉴于此,本文对颞骨乳突后部一些典型性状的形态变异在现代中国人及部分古人类的表现情况进行了研究。研究结果表明:1)除乳突旁隆起的发育水平存在性别差异外(不受地区差异影响),乳突切迹、枕乳嵴、枕动脉沟的出现率和发育水平既不受地区差异影响,又无性别差异。2)现代中国人乳突后部形态总体表现为窄而深的乳突切迹、明显的乳突旁隆起、以及发育程度较弱的枕动脉沟和枕乳嵴;3)在本文所研究的性状中,乳突切迹、乳突切迹前端隆起、乳突旁隆起、枕乳嵴和枕动脉沟均呈现不同程度的个体变异;4)一些被认为属于尼安德特人衍生特征的性状在中国古人类和现代中国人的乳突后部都有出现;5)本文研究的颞骨乳突后部形态特征在中国更新世晚期人类的表现与现代中国人接近。

Morphological Variation of the Mastoid Region in Modern Chinese Skull

Because of the complex external surface morphology and internal structure, the temporal bone is an important source of information on palaeoanthropological research. However, the definition of some of the characteristics of the temporal bone, population distribution and the value of evolution has been controversial. One reason for these challenges is the lack of research and data about variation and morphology of modern crania. Therefore, this paper focuses on a complex region - the posterior mastoid region. Through observation and our analysis, we noted the following results. Except for the development level of the juxtamastoid process affected by sex, the occurrence rate and development of the mastoid notch, occipitomastoid crest and occipital groove are not affected by region or sex. The characteristic features of modern Chinese people are a narrow and deep mastoid notch, prominent juxtamastoid process, weak occipital groove and occipitomastoid crest. The mastoid notch, anterior part of the digastric groove (obliterated), juxtamastoid process, occipital groove and the occipitomastoid crest show internal variability and change over time. Some morphological traits of the mastoid region that are considered to belong to Neandertals have appeared on contemporary and fossil men in China. In this paper, the morphology of the posterior of mastoid region of Chinese Homo sapiens (late Pleistocene) is close to that of modern Chinese people.