Chapter 8, Problem 5CAL

Use the following paragraph to answer questions 1–5.

You are called to a crime scene reported in the woods. A hiker found a skeleton underneath some leaves—and as the osteologist of the team, it is up to you to identify the bones, as well as determine the age and sex of the skeleton. You begin examining the skeleton.

5. The police officers also want to know if you can determine the age at death of the skeleton. You determine that all long bone epiphyses have fused to their diaphyses, and all permanent teeth are erupted. The cranial sutures are still open, and the symphysial surface is flattened, but there is no complete rim around the symphysis. Based on these features, a likely age range for the skeleton would be

1. a. younger than 10 years.
2. b. 10–20 years.
3. c. 20–35 years.
4. d. 35–50 years.