Washington, April 6 (IANS) Facial distinctions between men and women are becoming blurred, as borne out by an examination of hundreds of Spanish and Portuguese skulls, spanning four centuries.

 
 "Improving our understanding of the craniofacial features of regional groups can help us learn more from skeletal remains, or even help us identify an individual based on his or her remains," says  Ann Ross, principal study investigator.
 
 The research team led by Ross, associate professor of anthropology at North Carolina State University, looked at more than 200 skulls dating to 20th and 16th century Spain, as well as approximately 50 skulls from 20th century Portugal.
 
 They found that craniofacial differences between contemporary men and women are less pronounced than they were in the 16th century, reports the journal Forensic Science International.
 
 They also found that, while craniofacial features for both sexes in Spain have changed over time, the changes have been particularly significant in females, according to a North Carolina statement.
 
 For example, the facial structure of modern Spanish females is much larger than the structure of 16th century females. This difference may stem from improved nutrition or other environmental factors.
 
 The researchers paid particular attention to structural differences between male and female skulls because "this can help us establish the sex of the remains based on their craniofacial features", says Ross, which is particularly important when an incomplete skeleton is found.
 
 "Being able to tell if a skull belonged to a man or woman is useful in both criminal investigation and academic research," adds Ross.