FORENSICS

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MALOCCLUSION

the absence of occlusion between the upper and lower teeth

MANDIBLE

the lower jaw

MANDIBULAR SYMPHASIS

the joint located at the center of the jaw that connects the two halves of the mandible that may or may not be fused

MANUAL

relating to the hand

MANUBRIUM

upper part of the sternum or breast bone

MASTICATION

chewing food

MATURATION

the attainment of the final stages of tissue or organ differentiation; marked in primates by attainment of puberty, full dental eruption, and epiphyseal union of the skeletal elements

MAXILLA

the upper jaw

MEDIAL

a relative term used to describe features that are closer to the midline or center of the body; the opposite of lateral

MEDIAL CUNEFIROM

the most medial tarsal bone on the distal row

MEGADONT

very large teeth

MELANIN

pigmentation in the skin that is a component of color in plants and animal

MENTAL

associated with the chin

MESIAL

for premolars and molars, a relative term referring to the part of the tooth that is closer to the front of the mouth or lips; the opposite of distal

METACARPAL

bone between the wrist and manual proximal phalanx

METACONE

the distal cusp located on the buccal side of the upper molar

METACONID

the distal cusp located on the lingual side of the lower molar

METAPHYSIS

cartilage located between the diaphysis and the epiphysis that expands and eventually ossifies into bone; location of the growth plate

METASTASIZE

the movement of a disease-producing agency from the site of disease to another part of the body; the change in form as the disease spreads

METATARSAL

bone between the tarsals and the pedal proximal phalanx

METOPIC SUTURE

a place of articulation in the frontal bone of the cranium that divides the bone in half. Fusion of the frontal bones begins about the second year of age in humans

MINIMUM NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS

the minimum number of individuals (MNI) that would have had to have died in order to make up the assemblage. MNI is calculated by dividing the number of time each element occurs in an assemblage by the number of times it occurs in the skeleton of a single living individual. The MNI is the highest of the resulting numbers.

MITOCHONDRIAL DNA

deoxyribonucleic acid found within mitochondria

MNI

see minimum number of individuals

MORPHOLOGY

the form and structure of a feature

MRNA

the abbreviation for messenger RNA

MTDNA

see mitochondrial DNA

MUSCLE

fibrous tissue in the body that contracts, which pulls on an attached structure creating movement

MUTATION

a change in the genetic code as a result of an error during DNA reproduction

Acknowledgements

Department of anthropology

University of Texas at Austin

Liberal Arts Instructional Technology Services

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