Which features are included in the Phenic method of sexing pelvises?

• A. Subpubic concavity (male absent, female present); ischiopubic ramus (broad male, narrow female); ventral arc (absent male, present female)
• B. Subpubic concavity only
• C. Ischiopubic ramus only
• D. Ventral arc only

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that the Phenice method uses three pelvic traits to determine sex, and using all three together provides the most reliable assessment. The three features are: a ventral arc on the pubic bone, which is typically well developed in females and not in males; subpubic concavity, where the lower border of the pubic bone curves inward in females but is flatter or convex in males; and the ischiopubic ramus morphology, where the ramus tends to be narrower and more gracile in females and broader and more robust in males. When you evaluate all three traits together, you get a consistent pattern that strongly supports a female classification if all three are present, or a male classification if they align with male morphology. Using the full trio is more accurate than relying on a single trait, which is why the option listing all three features reflects the Phenice method.