The age-related maturational pattern of the human subarcuate fossa (petromastoid canal). Preliminary results from the application of a new three-dimensional analytical approach

The subarcuate fossa, or petromastoid canal, is a hypostotic feature of the temporal bone used for assessing the age at death of immature individuals. The present study uses the high-resolution micro-CT record of 20 extant human infant and juvenile temporal bones to more precisely assess the age-related maturational pattern of this bony structure. In the perspective of the application of our analytical protocol to the study of the hominid fossil record, the main goals of this contribution are to extend the amount and to improve the quality of the linear and volumetric information on the human subarcuate fossa by the application of new 3D imaging techniques.