Advances in Biology & Earth Sciences

The marginal tubercle (tuberculum marginale, TM), located on the temporal process of the zygomatic bone, is a clinically significant craniofacial landmark with applications in reconstructive surgery, forensic identification and anthropological research. However, normative morphometric data for the Azerbaijani population are currently unavailable. This retrospective study analyzed CT scans of 408 individuals, divided into early adulthood (n = 214) and elderly (n = 194) groups. Measurements included TM dimensions, orbital width and distances from the TM to key craniofacial landmarks. Data were obtained using RadiAnt DICOM Viewer and analyzed using non-parametric statistical tests to assess bilateral symmetry, sexual dimorphism and age-related variation. Males exhibited significantly greater TM dimensions and orbital widths compared to females (p < 0.001). Bilateral symmetry was more pronounced in males, whereas females showed greater right-left asymmetry. Age-related reductions in TM prominence were especially notable among females. Correlation analysis revealed weak associations between TM size and other craniofacial parameters. This study presents the first CT-based morphometric analysis of the TM in the Azerbaijani population, offering population-specific normative data. These findings may contribute to midfacial reconstructive surgery, forensic identification and anthropological assessments of sex and age.