Study of sexual dimorphism by morphometric analysis of the dry talus in adult humans

The talus plays a critical role in weight-bearing and locomotion. As a compact and durable bone, it often remains well-preserved in skeletal remains. This study aimed to evaluate sexual dimorphism and the discriminatory potential of talar morphometric measurements and weight in a contemporary Brazilian skeletal collection. A total of 123 dry tali (73 male, 50 female) from the Human Osteological Collection of the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE) were analysed. Measurements included talar length (TL), width (TW), height (TH), and weight (TWe). A t-test was applied to assess mean differences, and binomial logistic regression was performed to determine the predictive performance of the variables. Univariate analysis showed significant mean differences for all four parameters (p < 0.05), indicating evident sexual dimorphism. However, the multivariate logistic regression model demonstrated that only TL and TWe remained a statistically significant independent predictor for sex (OR = 1.457; p = 0.017 and OR = 1.945; p = 0.013, respectively), suggesting that bone density and robustness are more relevant than linear dimensions. In conclusion, the talus represents a reliable skeletal element for sex estimation. Talus weight is the most robust sex discriminator in the studied population, establishing itself as a valuable and practical parameter for forensic morphometric analysis protocols.