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•First postcranial metric sex standards presented for a Colombian population.•Results include uni- and multivariate equations to apply to varied forensic cases.•Best univariate measurement is scapula height; best multivariate bone is scapula.•Results similar to North American Hispanic sample, though some variation. This research explores the best univariate and multivariate indicators for sex estimation using 51 standard osteometric measurements of all six major postcranial long bones, bones of the shoulder girdle, pelvic girdle, and the calcaneus from a modern, Colombian skeletal collection. The hypotheses being tested are (1) that postcrania will yield accurate sex classification rates and (2) the shoulder girdle will demonstrate the highest discrimination, based on results from previous research. The sample consists of 134 individuals (50 females, 84 males) between the ages of 19 and 93 with a mean age of 47 years. The sample is from the Colombian Skeletal Collection, consisting of skeletons from cemeteries in Bogotá, with recent years of death. The methods include univariate and multivariate discriminant function analysis (DFA). The results for this sample indicate the same general pattern of univariate classification effectiveness as found in research on North Americans; however, here the humerus performs better than the distal femur and proximal tibia as demonstrated in some North American samples. The cross-validated percent correct univariate classification for the postcranial elements ranges from 64.8% to 86.1% (p<0.05). The highest univariate classification rates were for the scapular height (86.1%) and the humeral head diameter (86.0%). The highest multivariate classification rates are with the scapula (93.5%), os coxa (92.0%), clavicle (89.9%), humerus (89.1%), and ulna (89.1%). This study provides sectioning points to easily estimate sex using Colombian population-specific formulae. This research aids in forensic individuation, as the long bones of the postcranial elements are relatively resistant to taphonomic processes. Furthermore, the ability to achieve such a high degree of success from a single bone is preferable for the fast-paced forensic anthropology laboratories in Colombia that process hundreds to thousands of cases each year. This research plays an important role in the development of population standards in Colombia and South America and provides a robust method that can withstand courtroom scrutiny.

Adult sex estimation is one of the first and most important steps in forensic examination. While dealing with disturbed burials, the most dimorphic anatomic areas of the skeleton (such as the coxae, the skull and the head of femur and humerus) may be deteriorated or fragmented. In contrast, the minimum supero-inferior femoral neck diameter (SID) is generally much better preserved. The aim of the present research is to identify the discriminatory potential of SID for sex estimation and to test different formulae and mathematical procedures currently available in the forensic literature, on a sample of 295 contemporary individuals from the 21st Century Identified Skeletal Collection (University of Coimbra, Portugal), in order to identify its relevance for application in Portuguese forensic cases. Results showed that SID is a dimorphic variable, with high frequencies and probabilities of cases correctly estimated (0.82 and 0.83, respectively); statistically significant differences between females and males, and a high association between the metrics and sex, were identified. Posterior probabilities allow reliable estimations for all the measurements, excepting those between 31.0 and 31.5 mm, and the procedures that show the highest accuracy are those proposed by Seidemann et al. (1998), Curate et al. (2016), and Luna et al.(2021). Adult sex estimation from in a contemporary osteological sample from Buenos Aires, Argentina, with frequencies and probabilities between 0.82 and 0.83 for both sexes. The validation procedures implemented in this study highlight both the need to test quantitative models generated from diverse contemporary human populations, and the value of SID for obtaining reliable adult sex estimates, as they improve the quality of the biological profiles obtained in forensic contexts. Key pointsSupero-inferior femoral neck diameter (SID) is relevant as a sex predictor due to its high preservation and dimorphic expression, especially in contexts of high fragmentation and commingling.The study validated the existing functions of SID by calculating the frequencies of correct estimations for males, females, and both sexes.The Bayesian approach yielded the best results, as posterior probabilities offered reliable estimations for almost all the measurements.The study highlighted that SID showed sexual dimorphism in this population.