The pterion is an important landmark on the side of the skull as it overlies both the anterior branch of the middle meningeal artery and the lateral cerebral fissure intracranially. The study was carried out to determine the pterion types and define its distances to some neighboring structures in dry human skulls of Southern Nigerians. The study comprised 50 dry human skulls of unknown sex and age obtained from selected Nigerian Universities. Sutural patterns of the pterion on both sides of each skull based on the description of Murphy (1956), were observed and recorded. Distances of the pterion to neighboring structures were also measured using digital vernial caliper. Data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis using descriptive statistics and chi-square contingency table with the aid of the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 16. P<0.05 is considered statistically significant. Results showed that the most common type of Pterion in Nigerian skulls was sphenoparietal. There was no significant association between side of the head and pterion type. The mean distance of the pterion to the frontozygomatic suture was 31.56±2.47 mm taking both side together, (left side = 31.08±2.24 mm; right side = 32.06±2.62 mm). The mean distance of the pterion to the midpoint of the zygomatic arch was 39.87±3.16 mm taking both sides together (left side = 39.52±3.32 mm; right side = 40.22±2.98 mm). The mean distance of the pterion to the glabella was 77.51±4.08 mm taking both side together (left side = 76.74±4.27 mm; right side = 78.27±3.77 mm). This will be useful in Surgery, Anthropology and for assessing the location of the pterion in incomplete archeological remains or forensic materials.
