Hailong Zhang; Peiyuan Zhang; Yufei Wang; Yuxin Zeng; Adilijiang Waili; Haijun Li & Bo Liu

This study addresses the scarcity of research on the growth of the piriform aperture in ancient children by analyzing 36 child skulls from the Zaghunluq region of Xinjiang. The skulls were divided into six age groups, ranging from 2 to 19 years old. Using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software, the study measured dimensions such as upper width, lower width, height, and total area, including the nasal bone area. Statistical analyses revealed significant growth spurts in specific dimensions across different age groups: upper width at ages 8-10 and 12-15, lower width at ages 6-7 and 17-19, height at ages 3-5 and 17-19, and projected area at ages 6-7 and 17-19. Developmental trends showed that lower width growth outpaced upper width before age 7, while both grew at similar rates from age 12-15 onwards. The study concluded that the piriform aperture and skull develop proportionally, with distinct growth patterns in its dimensions over childhood and adolescence.

KEY WORDS: Ancient pediatric populations; Piriform aperture; Comparative analysis; Age groups; Growth and development.

ZHANG, H.; ZHANG, P.; WANG, Y.; ZENG, Y.; WAILI, A.; LI, H. & LIU, B. Comparative analysis of piriform aperture development across age groups in ancient children from Xinjiang, China. Int. J. Morphol., 44(2):363-372, 2026.